Alena Akhmadullina and the Postcards from Russia

by Lotus Ladegaard 

Alena Akhmadullina has ruled the runways of Russia for many years with intricate embroidery and furs fused with a touch of Russian folklore. She has a strong Russian celebrity following but has also made her presence known on the international red carpets where stars like Eva Green and Naomi Campbell have worn her creations.

Alena Akhmadullina’s usual dark and mythic colour palette fused with heavily embellished fabrics are not for everyone, however, her 2018 Resort Collections shows great restraint and offers pieces that are much more likely to appeal to the European market, although, it might still be a bit too much for some.

For her 2018 Resort Collection, Alena Akhmadullina’s colour palette consisted mostly of fresh and light colours, bright yellow, royal blue and black. The silhouettes were somewhat expected and a little dated, but overall rather nice. The embellishments were pretty, although rather heavy at times. The collection ranged from shirt-dresses to outerwear and also offered many separates, which seems like a smart choice given her rather busy aesthetics.

The bright yellow shirt dress stood out as a stylish look paired with light blue boots and a box-bag. The green coat with floral embellishments was another favorite and has tons of editorial appeal. The simple cream colour coat would also suit many wardrobes. The little box-bags featured with many of the looks enjoy a certain versatility which you usually do not associate with AA. Overall the collection seems more inclusive, more mature and definitely worth a closer look.

Orla Kiely and the Monarchy of Prints

by Samantha Mitten

Orla Kiely does everything. She started off as a hat designer, moved on to kitchenware, handbags, and clothes. She is often considered the queen of prints and having her face on a postage stamp in Ireland only adds to the aura of invincibility and class, Orla's work exudes. 

This pre-fall collection is a testament to Orla's strengths. While it is nowhere near as legendary as her kitchenware, her fashion work remains of high caliber with a hint of whimsy. The prints are there to gush over, the silhouettes are there to ponder, but ultimately what makes this collection worth buying into both literally and figuratively is Orla's ability to craft fashionable, functional wear out which is playful and ingenious at its core. Yet that playfulness is subtle in the form of long skirts and dresses that are foundationally old-school but bears the hyper-modern aesthetics of Orla's prints. 

33.6K

Christopher Kane and the Dreams of Glasgow

by Lotus Ladegaard

Christopher Kane is all about the chic'. His signature design of innovation, rebellious femininity and sense of surprise has excited the world of fashion since 2006. He is a master at turning the ordinary into extraordinary, he knows how to embrace both the traditional with the contemporary, the timeless with the ephemeral and the sleek with the subversive. His unique take on exquisite technical textile and shapes has seduced many fashionistas around the world. Christopher Kane has found inspiration in Glaswegian architecture, furniture, and fabrics of Charles Rennie Macintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh for his 2018 Resort collection. With permission to shoot his lookbook at the exclusive setting of the Mackintosh masterpiece; Hill House in Helensburgh, he has created an exquisite and exclusive narrative.

Christopher Kane’s 2018 Resort collection offers plenty of chic' and frilly knitwear pieces, tartan skirts, fuzzy jackets and beautiful evening gowns that all somehow fit the setting just perfectly. The little white lace biker jacket has the DNA of his previous collections. The delicate dress with white top and blush lace skirt moves the envelope forward. Its innovative and contemporary shape matched with old world lace is a classic Christopher Kane fusion. The Mackintosh influence is not only found in the setting, but the Scottish designer has incorporated Margaret Macdonald’s stylized snakehead drawing as an embroidery on several pieces. Christopher Kane never holds back in expressing his vision, sometimes that can be visually exhausting, but sometimes it is just right. 

 

19.3K

French Riviera and the Chill of Akris

by Olivia Moreau 

What do Alpha Women wear during their non-alpha days? It is likely they are wearing Akris. Albert Kriemler constructs this collection while paying homage to the french riviera. From t-shirts soaked in red to the whimsical sway of black evening dresses are all part of that casual yet put together look Akris is pushing this resort collection. 

Stella McCartney and the Nostalgia of Adidas

by Linda Bezos

Stella McCartney does not seem like the natural fit for Adidas.  But Stella has never been the one to fit into a box. And by that narrative, it is almost inevitable that she will go beyond the usual avenues of fashion collectives. Her cropped raspberry sweatshirt with orange high-rise leggings and a pair of ’90s-throwback Adidas Climalite slides in neon yellow post-workout looks were a testament to her ability to move through genres with the ease of bold colored yoga pants. Athleisure has a lot of fans and the line between urban wear and athleisure is too blurred to make a distinction anymore and with the rise of Nike and Adidas as purveyors of vintage, this collaboration bodes well for both Stella McCartney and Adidas.     

Oscar de la Renta and the Pursuit of Equipoise

by Samantha Mitten

Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia has a tough job, while maintaining their own sense of aesthetics they had to incorporate the substantial history of Oscar de la Renta into their collection. And if the palettes of citrusy orange and palm greens and the tropical prints and jacquards are any indication of how they are doing then it is safe to say they are doing quite well. Maintaining the classic silhouettes of OdlR while adding splashes of their own genius was the consistent theme in this years collection. While they are still in their infancy in terms of being creative co-heads at OdlR, they are building a strong foundation that may very well push OdlR in the right direction. 

3.6M