Alado Colombiamoda 2012

We may not have heard much about Colombian fashion here in Europe, but it is definitely time to take a closer look and enjoy the fresh creations from new, talented designers from the depths of Latin America.

Alado, which in Spanish can be translated as “winged”, is the brand created by a promising duo that go by the names of Andres Restrepo and Alejandro Gonzalez. Although their talents and youth can be deemed as respectable factors of success, the creative duo also have an ecological and social edge which is in line with modern day thinking. They are well known for recovering raw materials and using them in different ways, as well as recycling fabrics or cuts into grandiose designs. Their clothes also affect both sides of the protagonists of the business: the clients wear fashionable pieces of quality, whilst the workers (normally housewives and female heads of households) find new ways of improving day to day life by fabricating their designs.

This year, Alado’s overall collection was characterized by its dramatic styles and immaculate detail-orientated materials. In Metamorphosis, the name of the collection, the duo shows forms of birth in combination with an entomological study. The outcome of this unusual inspiration is impressive; wings of insects, cocoons, beetles and butterfly colors are manifested in the form of clothes. Everything in the collection pays homage to nature, mainly insects, which are displayed in refined pieces. Symmetric cuts with layers in shimmering tones remind us of the gracious butterflies, whilst the dresses with brown stiff corsets show the protecting cover of beetles’ armor.

The pieces themselves don’t only embrace the topic of transformation: the buildup of the show is itself a “metamorphosis”. Starting with dark, more antagonistic colors in leather, the pieces soon find light and become brighter, ending with transparent dresses in chiffon, viscose and linen in shades of pale pink and blue. The beauty, however, definitely lies in the details: necklaces in the form of small butterflies, bags with entomological illustrations and clothes in unique structures is the signature of this innovative collection.