BALENCIAGA 53RD COUTURE COLLECTION

THIS COUTURE COLLECTION IS A TRIBUTE TO SUBCULTURE DRESS CODES AS IMPORTANT INFLUENCES OF MY FASHION VOCABULARY. I CHOSE FOUR PERMANENT COMPONENTS OF CRISTÓBAL BALENCIAGA’S LAST TWO DECADES OF COLLECTIONS AND APPLIED THEM ON MY DESIGN AESTHETIC IN ORDER TO CREATE A BRIDGE BETWEEN BALENCIAGA’S SIGNATURE ELEGANCE AND SILHOUETTE AND MY OWN PERSONAL STYLE.

THESE FOUR OMNIPRESENT CODES WERE 3/4 LENGTH SLEEVES, A FOCUS ON PROFILE OF SILHOUETTE AND COCOON SHAPES, EXTRAVAGANT AND AT TIMES ECCENTRIC HEADWEAR AND FABRIC INNOVATION.

EVERYDAY WARDROBE GARMENTS ARE LINED IN SILK SCUBA SATIN TO SUPPORT THEIR COMFORTABLE COCOON-LIKE SHAPES. JACKETS THAT SEEM BE WORN TIED AROUND HIPS ARE ENGINEERED INTO THE TROUSERS AND BECOME ONE GARMENT.

T-SHIRT PRINTS ARE OIL HAND-PAINTED DRAWINGS, A FLANNEL SHIRT IS INTERPRETED IN A SILK TUFFETAGE EMBROIDERY, A FAUX FUR COAT IS MADE OF SYNTHETIC HAIR THAT IS SHAPED AND HAND-DYED AND TAKES APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MONTHS TO MAKE, A MAXI GOTH DRESS IS MADE IN KNITWEAR EMBROIDERY WITH BLACK UPCYCLED GLASS BEADS.

VARIETY OF GARMENTS AND ACCESSORIES ARE UPCYCLED AND RECONSTRUCTED INTO BUSTIER AND DRAPED BODY-CONSCIOUS TWISTED GOWNS AND AN ALL-YOU-CAN-WEAR BELL-SHAPED BALL DRESS.

A WHITE COLUMN DRESS IS MADE OF MELTED AND UPCYCLED PLASTIC BAGS AND MOLDED ONTO A BODY.

ANOTHER DRESS IS MADE OF ONE ENTIRE PIECE OF BLACK LEATHER WITHOUT ANY CUT EDGES – NO DARTS, NO SEAMS, HELD WITH A GIANT SAFETY PIN.

A BUSTIER COLUMN OF ALUMINUM FOIL CRUNCHES AND MELDS AROUND THE BODY. ANOTHER BUSTIER DRESS IS MADE OF FAUX FUR, BUT IT USES TRADITIONAL FUR PATTERNMAKING AS TINY STRIPS ARE CUT AND SEWN TOGETHER IN A HERRINGBONE ARRANGEMENT, MIMICKING
A CENTURIES-OLD TRADITION OF REUSING SCRAPS AND TAKING 7.5 WEEKS TO PRODUCE.

A MOLDED AND SEAMLESS SECOND SKIN DRESS OF DEEP BLACK FLOCKED LEATHER BECOMES A WEARABLE JEWELRY DISPLAY, AND IT IS WORN WITH AN ORIGINAL ARCHIVAL CRISTÓBAL BALENCIAGA NECKLACE FROM 1960.

THE FINALE PIECE IS AN EPHEMERAL BLACK NYLON DRESS THAT ONLY EXISTS FOR THE DURATION OF ONE EVENT. IT IS MADE OF 47 METERS OF FABRIC AND ASSEMBLED BY THE COUTURE ATELIER TEAM IN A CHOREOGRAPHED PROCESS DIRECTLY AROUND THE BODY OF THE PERSON AND IS DESTINED TO BE ONLY WORN ONCE.

CREDITS:
HAND PAINTING - ABDELHAK BENALLOU
SYNTHETIC HAIR FAUX FUR COAT - GARY GILL, TASOS CONSTANTINOU HEADWEAR - NI HAO, ALASTAIR GIBSON, YUMI OKITA