AW21 WOMENSWEAR COLLECTION SHOW NOTES
IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE WHAT WE WILL WANT TO WEAR WHEN THE PANDEMIC IS OVER. FASHION, LIKE THE REST OF OUR LIVES, AS BEEN IN A KIND OF SUSPENDED ANIMATION. AUTUMN 21 FOR ME IS ALL ABOUT STRENGTH, ABOUT POWER. ABOUT RECLAMING OUR LIVES.
I BEGAN DESIGNING A FEW MONTHS AGO THINKING THAT BY AUTUMN I WOULD BE IN THE MOOD FOR VERY EXTRAVAGANT, VERY WORKED MATERIALS AND FINISHES AS A CONTRAST TO THE SIMPLICITY OF THE PULLOVER SWEATSHIRTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN LIVING IN FOR THE PAST YEAR. ULTIMATELY, I ENDED UP TAKING THE UPPER HALVES OF THESE HANDMADE, ALMOST COUTURE-LIKE PIECES AND CUTTING THEM INTO JACKETS AND TOPS, AND PUTTING THEM WITH CUT-OFF JEANS IN A GRAPHIC BLEACH WASH THAT I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON. I STRIPPED AWAY THE CONSTRUCTION AND LAYERS OF THE EVENING CLOTHES TO END UP WITH SIMPLE, BUT VERY DELICATE AND COMPLETELY HANDMADE SLIP DRESSES. THE SLIGHT DECONSTRUCTION OF LUXURIOUS PIECES IS SOMETHING THAT I FEEL WILL BE A LEGACY OF THE PANDEMIC FOR A FEW SEASONS TO COME. A MORE CASUAL WAY TO BE EXTRAVAGANT. WITH TAILORING, I FOUND MYSELF STREAMLINING AND MAKING THINGS SHARPER. STRIPPING AWAY TO THE POINT THAT SOMETIMES ONLY A JACKET IS LEFT. THIS LOOKS VERY COOL IF YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR BODY AND HAVE THE RIGHT UNDER PIECES – BUT FOR MOST, A PAIR OF TIGHTS OR SKIN-TIGHT PANTS WOULD GIVE THE SAME LOOK WHILE KEEPING THINGS CLEAN, SLEEK AND REAL. I AM A MINIMALIST AT HEART AND EVEN WHEN I DESIGN ROMANTIC COLLECTIONS THEY SOMEHOW END UP LOOKING SOMEWHAT SLICK.
I LOVE SHORT SKIRTS. I ALWAYS HAVE. BEING A CHILD IN THE 60’S DID THAT TO ME I THINK. THIS SEASON, I LIKE THE SHORTEST OF SHORT. DANGEROUSLY SHORT SKIRTS AND THE TINIEST OF SHORTS. SKINNY PANTS, STIRRUP PANTS, AND LEGGINGS WORN WITH SLOUCHY, OVERSIZED MOHAIR KNITWEAR. LARGE VOLUME ON TOP, SMALL AND TIGHT ON THE BOTTOM. SHARP TAILORING. HUGE OVERSIZED COATS AND SOME THAT ARE DOWN-FILLED VELVET OR ULTRA-SOFT LEATHER. MILITARY DETAILS ON COATS AND GOLD BUTTONS. CHAINS. ON SHOES, BAGS, SKIRTS, AND BIKER DETAILS ON SHORTS AND PANTS. STILETTO PUMPS OR STRETCH LEATHER BOOTS WITH THE SHARPEST OF TOES. EARRINGS MADE OF BROKEN GLASS AND MIRROR TIED TOGETHER WITH 18K GOLD WIRE. EARRINGS WITH EVERYTHING BUT MOSTLY FOR DAY AND LESS FOR NIGHT. THERE IS A CERTAIN NOD TO THE 60’S, AND EVEN THE 80’S – AND I SUPPOSE A BIT OF EDIE SEDGEWICK WORKED HER WAY INTO THE COLLECTION. WHILE SHE IS NOT NEW AS A MUSE, SHE HAD A POWERFUL SENSE OF STYLE THAT I THINK HAS ALWAYS STAYED WITH ME. WHEN I WAS YOUNG THERE WAS A WOMEN’S UNDERWEAR AD WHERE A WOMAN WEARING NOTHING BUT HER UNDERWEAR AND A COAT GOES OUT ON THE TOWN. IT WAS ALSO A VERY EDIE SEDGEWICK THING TO DO. AND SO I THOUGHT HOW GREAT IT WOULD BE TO HAVE CASHMERE UNDERWEAR THAT WAS ACTUALLY MADE FOR THIS AND WORN WITH OVERSIZED COATS.
COLOR IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN DRAWN TO MORE AND MORE SINCE MOVING TO LA A FEW YEARS AGO FROM A COLDER MORE SERIOUS LONDON. SUGAR PINK, HOT PINK, LILAC, LAVENDER, COBALT, SUNFLOWER YELLOW AND BARE LEGS FOR WINTER SEEM ACTUALLY TO MAKE SENSE. AT LEAST IN LA. IN THE REST OF THE WORLD A PAIR OF BLACK TIGHTS, TURTLE NECK AND MILITARY COAT MAKE THE COLOR SEEM PLAUSIBLE.
FIERCE, POWERFUL AND BADASS ARE WORDS THAT RESONATE WITH ME THIS SEASON. I MEAN, WHO DOESN’T WANT TO BE BADASS? ESPECIALLY AFTER BEING TRAPPED AT HOME FOR A YEAR.
– TOM FORD
AW21 MENSWEAR COLLECTION SHOW NOTES
AFTER A YEAR OF OFTEN SITTING ON ZOOM CALLS WITHOUT BEING FULLY DRESSED OR WHILE WEARING THE SAME DIRTY JEANS AND TEE SHIRT, I AM READY TO PUT ON A SUIT AGAIN AND ACTUALLY LEAVE MY HOUSE. I HAVE ALWAYS WORN SUITS. I FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THEM. I LOVE THAT I DON’T HAVE TO THINK WHEN I GET DRESSED, THAT THE JACKET MATCHES THE PANT. SUITS CAN BE AN ARMOR, BUT THEY CAN ALSO MAKE DAILY ACTIVITIES SEEM LIKE AN EVENT. I THINK THAT IT IS TIME TO GET DRESSED AGAIN. NOT IN A FLAMBOYANT OVER THE TOP WAY, BUT IN A SLIGHTLY MORE CASUAL YET LUXURIOUS WAY.
THERE IS A NOD TO THE 60’S AND EVEN THE 80’ IN THE COLLECTION, AND A LITTLE BIT OF PAUL SIMONON OF ‘THE CLASH’, AS HE MADE IT ONTO THE MOOD BOARD THIS SEASON MULTIPLE TIMES. DOUBLE OR SINGLE BREASTED JACKETS. MILITARY COATS. SHORTER PANTS WORN WITH BOOTS OR A 1960’S LOAFER. TURTLENECKS AND TRIM PANTS OR JEANS CUT IN MOHAIR TWILL COMPLETE THIS CLEAN STREAMLINED SILHOUETTE. LUXURIOUS SHEARLING, LEATHERS AND SUEDES. SWEATSHIRT PIECES REMAIN AND ARE MIXED IN WITH MORE TAILORED PIECES. AS ARE DENIM JEANS IN A NEW BLEACH-SPLATTERED WASH. I FEEL THAT THIS MIX OF CASUAL AND DRESSED PIECES WILL BE A LEGACY OF THE PANDEMIC FOR A FEW SEASONS.
VELVET HAS LONG BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE FABRICS. VELVET FOR DAY. VELVET FOR EVENING. I OFTEN WEAR A VELVET JACKET WITH JEANS AND BOOTS, AND I ALMOST ALWAYS WEAR A VELVET JACKET AT NIGHT IF I AM GOING OUT. THIS SEASON VELVET SPORTSWEAR IS SHOWN IN VARYING SILHOUETTES AND VOLUMES; SMALL AND CROPPED IN CASUAL ZIP FRONT QUILTED JACKETS OR OVERSIZED IN COCOON-LIKE DOWN FILLED COATS. BOLD FLORAL PRINTS ON VELVET AND PINWHEEL CORD ARE OPTIMISTIC, LIGHT, AND FULL OF PROMISE FOR A RETURN TO THE ABILITY TO GO BACK OUT INTO THE WORLD.
THE COLOR PALETTE IS ANCHORED IN NEUTRALS LIKE CHALK WHITE, EBONY, AND WARM BROWNS – BUT IS ACCENTUATED WITH SHADES OF JADE, CARAMEL, ACID YELLOW, VIOLET, TURQUOISE AND DUSTY PINK THAT ARE FOUND IN SPORTSWEAR, 1960’S INSPIRED MOHAIR DEGRADE SWEATERS, AND EVEN TAILORING.
FOR A CELEBRATORY NIGHT THERE ARE EXTRAVAGANT SILK JACQUARD EVENING JACKETS WORN WITH PALE SOCKS AND UNBUTTONED SILK SHIRTS. ANIMAL PRINTS ARE A CLASSIC FOR ME AND WE HAVE INTERPRETED THESE IN METALLIC PRINTED EVENING JACKETS.
AS THE TREND TO STAY HOME MORE WILL LINGER, WE HAVE DONE PAJAMAS AND ROBES IN INTENSE COLORS AND PATTERNS. IF YOU HAVE TO STAY HOME, IT MIGHT AS WELL BE FUN.
– TOM FORD
