Dear Diane, dear Shaded viewers,
Unfortunately I missed what -together with Palomo- was the highlight of the fashion week in Madrid, Chromosome. Both shows were produced by Pelonio, an event and press house that’s very active in Madrid.
It seems that Chromosome is the spaniard take to what I’d call post-capitalist fashion, even if they deny their connections, a movement behind which we can find Gosha Rubchinskiy or Demna Gvasalia.
Why post-capitalist? Because you don’t need to have money to dress inspired on them: it’s all accesible in a drift shop. I’m talking here only of the general awkward aesthetic they play with, as the garments might be very detailed, researched and precise. Why not post-punk? Because punk was anticapitalist and antisocial while this fashion is not opposed, but beyond. There’s no ideology or political positioning behind, which already is political enough.
You might argue that 300€ for a t-shirt by Vetements is insulting and neoliberal, or ultra-capitalist. But you can get that same t-shirt for 5€ in a second hand shop. Or free in a trash bin. You’re free to choose. These fashion designers -who grew up loving MMM, WLT, Raf Simons, or Miguel Adrover- underline the contradictions of the socio-economic estate we’re immersed, but doesn’t aim to change it. Just expose it.
Anyway, the pictures from the show -that was held in a church totally covered with black plastic- are not as good as what’s been defined to me as mind-blowing collection and defilé. I’ll post the advertising images that are really strong so you get the mood of the designers.
And keep you posted on what these guys do in the future.
Kindly,
Mario.
