Haider Ackermann Paris AW 2013
Next season’s tendencies appear to gravitate around the misfits, rogues and new wave punks. It’s a revolution, but a damn glamorous one! Numerous collections showcased these weeks for AW/13 exhibited the edgiest, most badass motifs, alongside homeless inspired ripped items and baggy cuts. However, few of them can compete with Ackermann’s hypnotizing ‘Les Misérables’ de Espace Vendome inspirited showcase.
For the next season, Haider Ackermann played around with obscure cuts and sloppy, overhanging attire, in order to tell the story of a modern rebel. The artist developed a deeply seductive story portraying a grungy, yet lush urban adventurer, fearless decaying warrior. The place, the music, the atmosphere, were all intertwining in perfect sync, creating a reverie, alternative space to enhance the mood and the concept behind this majestic parade.
The show captivated the audience from the very first accord of Marilyn Monroe’s ‘Kiss me’, wondrously contrasting with the loaded, misty atmosphere, and the post-industrial appeal of the scene. A series of platinum-blonde, messy, hardcore muses starting strolling down the runway dressed in heavily layered outfits. Each styling was breathtaking, intricately built up, featuring layers and layers of wildly diverse cuts and textures, which came together as strikingly beautiful and alluring.
Tailored statement jackets, featuring Balmain-reminiscing embellished shoulder pads, were nonchalantly hanging off the models’ bare arms, leveling up the chic. The dramatic cuts were paired up with deep v-neck blouses, in soft, silky fabrics, mildly exposing ivory collar bones and sensuous bare chests. Sheepskin aviator coats and maxi trenches complemented cigarette trousers in tweed and decorated leather, making up for elongated silhouettes. Oversized Gavroche wraps, luxurious fur neck pieces and coats, splashed a hint of Parisian poetry and further underlined the “Je m’en fous!” attitude.
The grandeur of the collection was in the built of the figures, the pairing of the shapes and the finesse of the details: manly jacket cuts were stripped of their usual perfect finishing, and were replaced by frayed, ripped sleeves, messed out necklines and hanging cuffs; a hint of an hourglass figure was constructed through prominent drapes, gently tied together at the middle with subtle, minimalistic belts. Not even a skirt or a dress made it on the runway; Ackermann focused on constructing high-waist swanky pants, attention-grabbing, unique, and ultra versatile. Color wise, the collection was toned down, displaying a wide variety of shades and textures of grey, khaki and cold browns; going tone on tone, the designer added just the right amount of shine, and a hint of luxurious silver, in order to compliment the rest of the color palette.
