Dear Shaded Viewers and Diane,
A certain gothic fiction around self-identification took over each model’s operating system at SIES MARJAN’s Fall-Winter 2019 show that took place in New York.
Designer Sander Lak began by dressing and expertizing on the feminine spirit of his brand, now seen as multicolored stains in the form of models carrying a madness that can only be described as aromatic rather than romantic. They were floating on crystalized asphalt as our olfactory senses were being awakened, being summoned to imagine what lay behind the darkness. The contrast between the ground and the neon fireflies walking on it communicated just how daring Sies Marjan’s women were when it came to the walk– dark and forward.
Amazingly, darkness is necessary for those catwalk fireflies to turn on and illuminate their own paths. Outside light could hardly have penetrated those treated and technical silhouettes. It would have been met with more light emanating from and bouncing off of the bright materials (satins, silks, laces, chiffons, etc). Satin floating on self-illumination, just like real fireflies depend upon their own light in order to survive.
It was like a post-punk and gothic parade, an era where hair was combed back and sprayed with toxic amounts of Aquanet, and the outfits were DIY collections of leather, lace, and fishnets. The best suit seen on the runways so far this Fall-Winter 2019 is without doubt the purple leather suit that holds just the right amount of concentrated potion that fashion needs to rapidly absorb. This suit declared shape and color as the only design parameters– abort logos and include delicious tie-dye pink hair, if you prefer.
While the products can often, symbiotically, become the body’s own body, here it was all about intelligent comfort dominated by knits and wovens, both performing under functional multilayered combinations. Easy to wear on their own once separated, they also brought an absolute autonomy to each look, as reflected in the model’s facial expressions. And this was the collections strongest potential. Just like the emerald-green satin shirt and turtleneck from look eight, these iridescent powerful products work whether combined or alone.
Best,
MHM.
