Dear Shaded viewers,
One thing that defines Zomer, being a relatively young brand, is the way they work around and adhere to a strong concept for each of their collections through the collaboration between designer Danial Aitouganov and stylist Imruh Asha. For FW25, they found themselves somewhere between the reflections on the backwards political state of the world and a humorous departure from the key word “backwards”.
The show opened with a final flood and the soundtrack of cheering and clapping, and the audience not quite sure whether they should be joining in. A record rewind set its course back to what is expected – and as the first look marched out the back-to-front theme became clear. A bright blue denim top and matching jeans, cut in a straight and clean silhouette, were fitted for all the usual closures to be in the back. Back pockets were set at the hips, and the shirt’s buttons ran down the spine; even the belt buckle was out of the model’s sight. The following looks continued in the same vein: a waistcoat with its adjustment across the stomach, an elongated dress-shirt with its collar resting straight across the neck, a trench coat open to reveal a bare back.
Some designs came ready as a full, monochromatic outfit, in a rainbow of bright colours as if plucked from a crayon box. Others involved separates that were playfully layered together, with vivid hues beside darker neutrals or browns, and often slivers of stripes were integrated on inner linings, cuffs or waistbands to break up the colour blocking.
In a slight shift away from their strong theme, a collaboration with knitwear designer Cecile Feilchenfeldt and a trip to Morocco inspired a deeper dive into texture and colour for some key looks of the collection. Carpets and lampshades, intricately crafted from a beautiful floral pattern, hung from the body with dramatic flare. Ribbons, tubes and yarns were spun into tubular garments that swayed, swished and bounced down the runway.
Aitouganov and Asha swayed from the rules of design and styling to create a joyfully unexpected collection that made us question why there has to be a right way to wear a garment in the first place. Their garments come from a place of childhood curiosity and exploration, and with this approach they remain aware and conscious of political affairs while choosing to align their brand on the sidelines. As only their fourth collection to show in Paris, it shows promise that they will continue to step outside the box with their themes but continue to develop them to make bolder statements.
Later,
Eliya
