Walking in, the space is light and airy, like a sunny dream. A repeating and drawn out violin melody fills the room- a tune very similar to Basinski’s Disintegration Loops– and it has a similar calming effect, like aurally breathing in and out. A translucent plastic wall splits the catwalk in two, and it feels a little like we are all wearing an enormous collective raincoat which compliment the collection-to-come’s ethereal yet functional qualities.
Solid Homme is the first act of designer Woo Youngmi who, if that sounds familiar, is also the brains behind her second, more widely recognized and synonymous brand, Wooyoungmi. Their flagship store sits in the heart of the third arrondissement of Paris and their latest collection will also be presented later this week.
But where Wooyoungmi is more abstract and artistic, Solid Homme is a little more urban, studious, a little 90’s ivy-league. Models sport boxy, oversized eyeglasses and carefully parted slicked back hairstyles. Each look seems to have an element of both office attire and athletic wear. Windbreakers, billowing trench coats, and hooded leather jackets are all layered over collared shirts with drab ties, often paired with nondescript baseball caps. On bottom we see cropped denim culottes, tailored suede shorts, baggy leather trousers, and silver paneled track pants. I spy a couple of canvas fanny packs and a nylon “briefcase.” The cuts are bold yet refined and very wearable, often in a white to navy gradient with splashes of lilac, mahogany, and yellow that bring a little sophisticated fun to the collection. Between the ties, trenches, and plastic sheet through which we can foggily see the models walking, I can’t help but also make an aesthetic association to American Psycho, which also seems to be on-trend as of late.
Ciao,
Rianna
