–
Anrealage brings fashion week show-going to contemporary liturgical heights at the American cathedral in Paris. Accompanied by a specially crafted track by Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter, this season unveils massive geometric shaped ensembles which are presented first in painstakingly intricately crafted textiles that mimic the stained glass murals above us. They march down the choir of the church like pixelated pierrots in their silly exaggerated forms and initially jewel toned colour pallets become increasingly brighter, and bolder until the lights go dark and the ensembles begin to light up, revealing themselves to be sort of green-screens on which mosaic colors and shape begin to dance, evolve, shimmer and shine. Although quite simply very visually engaging, and pleasant to watch, there is a more layered significance woven into this choreographed display of shapes and lights. “Garments morph into mediums for diffusing messages, reflecting and transforming a stream of visuals and information – the SCREEN- Age equivalent of the humble sandwich-board man of the early 20th century, or slogan T-shirts.”
The constantly morphing screens and kaleidoscopes of color emphasize digital consumption and their influence on design and creativity, embodying the fast paced digital landscape which allows us to consume references, trends, and ideas at record time. The collection is a treat to watch, not just see- speaking perhaps unintentional volumes about our general capacity for concentration and appreciation. Once I heard that statistically people only spend about 15 seconds looking at a work of art in a museum (and I fear that may be a generous figure). As collections can take years to put together- when it’s finally showtime, I wonder how long we really spend looking at each piece. Maybe this season at Anrealage, like the inevitable magpies we all are, everyone gawked for a few seconds longer.
Kunihiko Morinaga has a fine-tuned, future-forward flair for incorporating technology driven surprise elements in his often cartoonish designs, which bring an entertaining aspect of performance to his shows (think last seasons self-inflating pieces). Yet with a cohesive underlying aesthetic of buttoned-up cutesy-core (harajuku, if you will), as well as of course, impeccably executed vision, Morinaga cleverly evades gimmick and makes for a very playfully polished show. It’s almost ethereal despite the imposing forms and assertive colors. Unbearable lightness of being, or something like that.
Diane texts me afterwards, “Japanese rule Paris.” Always.
