THE ART OF DRESSING
Words: Thea Bichard. Images: Carlijn Jacobs.
Many of us are missing artistic experiences right now – those quiet moments in a gallery reflecting on a new exhibit, offering a chance to look beyond the day to day and question the world around us. And we could say the same of our style – after near-on a year of comfort and practicality taking precedence, we’re craving clothes that tap into our creativity while responding to the times.
So, why not take a tour through our virtual gallery of art-level, new-season styles, as seen through the eyes of photographer Carlijn Jacobs? From the designers who have raided their archives for inspiration to sculptural takes on familiar silhouettes, this is the art of dressing for now.
Helmut Lang, est. 1986
No fashion history of the 1990s would be complete without Helmut Lang, and no revival of the decade of slip-dress supremacy would be complete without the brand, either. The spirit of those original minimalist styles is there in the sliver of a neckline and whip-thin straps, but ruched satin in a turn-of-the-millennium shade of grey kicks it up a notch.
The slip dress 2.0; imperceptible straps; ruching on satin
JW Anderson, est. 2008
The ‘show in a box’ – Jonathan Anderson’s inventive method of presenting his latest collection – distilled the designer’s originality and love for craft. Craft is the cornerstone of JW Anderson collections, and often it’s the clever twists on classic styles that are most compelling. A transitional trench coat will always be a style to reach for at this time of year, but one with the unexpected addition of a coordinating wrap skirt? Even better.
Artisanal detailing, reworked classics, coordination
Maison Alaïa, est. 1981
A true original who first broke with the fashion schedule in 1988 and collaborated with artists throughout his career, Azzedine Alaïa built his reputation on considered, exquisitely constructed couture. Honouring that legacy, Maison Alaïa’s intricately trimmed crop top and equally form-fitting leggings from the Éditions series are reissued replicas of styles from 1993. Likewise, the Corset bag takes cues from Alaïa’s iconic lace-like leather bustiers.
Intricate open-work, lace-like leather, form-fitting fabrics
Carolina Herrera, est. 1981
“I didn’t want to get so caught up in the pragmatism of this moment that we lost the playfulness of the clothes,” Creative Director Wes Gordon told Vogue when introducing this latest collection. Gordon drew on Carolina Herrera’s sculptural 80s tailoring for Resort 2021 – the house codes haven’t changed, and neither has how much mileage you can get from the brand’s deftly tailored jackets. You are – have always been – the well-framed artwork when you’re wearing an hourglass Carolina Herrera creation with the neckline cut just so.
Hourglass silhouette, understated detailing, nipped-in waist
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Mugler, est. 1973. Ottolinger, est. 2015. Frame, est. 2010.
Casey Cadwallader’s form-fitting, free-to-move take on Mugler’s incredibly sculptural signature codes is a bodycon balm to the way we’ve been cocooning this past year. We’re looking forward to the forgotten art of ‘jeans and a (particularly) nice top’, rediscovering how these fitted pieces can make us feel, back out in the world, as they take on a fresh, perfectly sculpted new look.
Slivers of sheer, clever contours, monochrome
Issey Miyake, est. 1970. Loewe, est. 1846.
Abstract patterns mark out the latest oversized styles from Issey Miyake – a magpie of artistic influences and a brand that continually blurs the lines between art and fashion. Miyake’s pioneering pleats and meticulous ‘one piece of cloth’ process that considers how fabric works with bodies, and how we take up space, invites you to play with proportion yourself. To that end, cinch in this free-flowing art piece with Loewe’s reinterpretation of a traditional obi belt (inspired by Japanese martial arts styles).
Abstract print, voluminous silhouette, tactile fabrics
Bottega Veneta, est. 1966
Bottega Veneta has recently scrubbed its social media – could that be the new manifestation of its tagline, ‘when your own initials are enough’? Certainly, there’s a level of only-those-in-the-know anonymity to Daniel Lee’s dolman-sleeve sweatshirt and sleek leather skirt. As for the Shell bag? It may not appear on the Bottega feed, but it’s set to be the centrepiece of countless others.
Voluminous sleeves, sleek separates, geometric accessories
Bevza, est. 2006
Had Sandro Botticelli still been in the business of painting goddesses in 2021, the obvious choice would be to depict them in Ukrainian-born Bevza’s signature ‘shell’ bustier and breezy-as-sea-air wrap skirt, no? The subtle ceramic fish fastening is an artful detail that answers that definitively for us. Together, these pieces capture Bevza’s minimalist yet characterful designs and fresh take on modern femininity.
Scallop-shell stitching, tactile silk, breezy crepe
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Magda Butrym, est. 2014
At the start of each collection, Magda Butrym asks herself two questions: “what do I need in my closet, and what do I dream about?” The Polish designer is known for making her own characterful mark on classics styles, tweaking them just enough so they stand out without being confined to any one fashion season. For this razor-sharp jacket, she finds the meeting point between a biker and a blazer with a dynamic, angular cut.
Statuesque shoulders; sculpted leather; cropped hem
Alexander McQueen, est. 1992. Comme des Garçons, est. 1969.
Few brands have turned the runway show into performance art quite like these two powerhouses. There’s that same theatrical quality to the masterful construction of this McQueen corset, which Sarah Burton and her team created during lockdown by drawing on designs and fabrics from the McQueen archive. And there’s no missing Comme des Garçons’ pumped-up puffball of a tulle skirt, part of a collection that delved into and disrupted ‘the spirit of couture’, per Rei Kawakubo’s characteristically cryptic notes.
Sweetheart neckline, experimenting with volume, exaggerated tulle
Dion Lee, est. 2009
Experimentation often sets art-level garments apart from the everyday. The switch-up can be as simple (yet effective) as playing with well-trodden tropes and doing something new, as Dion Lee’s suspender cycling shorts show. The Australian designer specialises in ‘experimental construction combined with traditional tailoring’, and the result is sensual designs, sculpted to follow the female form. Consider this underwear as outerwear: 2.0.
Lingerie-like detailing, flattering the form, elevated basics
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