In February 2022 I while going to another appointment during Milan Fashion Week, I strolled by the Miss Shoe presentation sponsored by Dolce & Gabanna. Not understanding to expect or even sure if I could enter due to Covid restrictions. I decided to take a chance. Luckily, the staff let me pass. The best surprises are unexpected. The London based Sohee Park presented extricate pieces influenced by Korea.
Legendary fashion designer Theirry Mugler passed. A visionary known for the cinched waist, broad shoulders and theatrics, Mugler was never boring. As a child of the 90’s, I remember his designs on celebrities and in music videos including George Michael’s “Too Funky”. For those who grew up in the social media era, Kim Kardashian’s 2019 Met Gala crystal dress and Superstar Beyonce’s concert tour costumes are fine examples of Mugler’s style. The Strasbourg born designer always gave a great show. The 72 year old passed due to natural causes according to his agent.
I happened to go over my Twitter account last night, suddenly, to my shock, on the Louis Vuitton account there was an announcement of Virgil Abloh‘s passing. My first thought was Covid. After reading the announcement Virgil lost his battle to cancer at age 41.
As the first African American head of a major fashion label, Virgil inspired me and no doubt countless others. He shattered a glass ceiling. Founding the fashion label Off-White in 2012, the Rockford Illinois born designer made a name for himself by establishing a must have streetwear brand worn by celebrities such as Kayne West and Jay Z. In 2018, being appointed the head of Louis Vuitton menswear placed Abloh at the pinnacle of the fashion world.
Thank you for opening doors Mr Abloh.
More images from Milan Fashion for Spring 2022.
Stay Tuned for the the Before Tacky Podcast on the reviews.
I met Fashion Designer Brett Johnson in Milan at Fashion Week Men during his eponymous label’s presentation on via Manzoni. Tailored, luxury materials are the elements of all his collections. Curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to know what influenced him to become a designer. With co host Alex Popov, we discuss fashion and what men should have in their wardrobe.
However, I am inspired to work on my shoe count after this shoe count. A person can never have enough. I’ll keep you posted.
Click below to watch the interview.
Stay tuned for part 2 of the interview.
Two
Two shows that impressed me this Couture Season, Fashion House Balenciaga returned to Couture stage this season after 53 years. Hard shoes to fill, Cristobal is revered in the fashion world. Creative head Demna Gvasalia had his hands full. The expectations of failure came to my mind. Happily, “disappointed” because Demma step up the plate, swung the bat for a home run. Reinterpreting a master is not easy, finding a modern balance with a line to the heritage. Let’s consider the world is still suffering from Covid 19. Why introduce a couture collection? A long shot.
The lamp shade hats hooked me. Showstopper! The glorious piece topping a wool sleeveless frayed looks. Of course the over size suits hit the eyes with the glorious sensation of a child seeing cotton candy, sheer delight.
Valentino in Venice, not the normal location for the Italian house to have a Haute Couture fashion show. But, these are not normal times. Staging the catwalk in Italy, Pierpaolo Piccioli pulled the pride card, who can blame him given Italy’s
struggles over the past 17 month. Doing what Valentino has done best, matching the classy with the spectacular touching on ethereal. The vibrant color palette gave the touch of optimism.
Where to start on the looks? Eighty four creations in all shown at Venice Ship year. Being from the American South, of course will catch my attention. Throw in lavender, I will it a winner. The feathered top piece and mini leather cloaked dress was a stunner. Mixing in menswear with capes, oversized scarves and loose jackets, I guess there was a statement, yet, I missed it. Don’t get me wrong, the looks were superb, but i would rather have watched them in a mens show.
Life feels uncertain these days, however, “Creative is a natural extension of our enthusiasm.”
I have not forgotten Milan Fashion Week. I’m watching the new collections. Stay tuned for all the coverage.
The interview with bag designer Silvia Scaramucci on her handbags and view on life.
Yosono moved away from classic bag styles, was this a mission statement?
Our mission is to satisfy the consumer’s desire to invest in beautiful, high-quality bags that will stand the test of time and which actually tell a story about the wearer. In addition to this, our products address people who like changing, by having a different bag which goes hand in hand with their mood.The fashion industry has moved away from classic styles and instead has started to gravitate toward the cult of the personality bag.
Buying them is done with as much head as heart.
What is the story of the Model Joy Bag?
I designed this model for customers who need something useful and functional, yet with personality, as the bag still features the geometric lines which characterize any of our models.
The Janne Bag is a bit multi-dimensional. How do you develop the design?
Checkout the interview below:
I wanted to design something that could be worn in different ways. Janne is a bag you can either wear on your shoulder or like a necklace; moreover, you can also change the flap and the strap to boast a different bag whenever you like.
Optimism is the brand story, can you explain?
We are a young and creative team and we strongly believe in a better world. Our aim is to make something we enjoy and which brings us pleasure and satisfaction; that’s why our zest for life inevitably contaminates our creations.
How many bags should a person have?
This is a little bit personal… Maybe each woman would like to have as many bags as they wish…I know people who have more than a hundred bags, but I usually suggest relying on high quality than quantity.
Related to the rebooting and rebirthing issue, how will the brand redefine their concept during this pivotal time?
This is a very difficult time and the right way to redefine ourselves is not that clear at the moment…however, we hope this situation will change all the rules which govern the fashion industry and make our way to building a new concept of business made of well-made and “sincere” products, which clearly state who they are and where they come from. The only way to face this crisis is to make products which feature the high-quality and craftsmanship we are famous for all over the world.
Who is the brand’s famous role model?
The Zoe model is our iconic shape. People love that because it’s easily identifiable and suitable for any age.
I like their young preppy Geometric aesthetic Concept, please explain
This is definitely my signature. All the bags I design have geometry in them; I love enclosing everything in defined lines and borders. This probably reflects a necessity to turn the chaos I feel in my soul into something visible and neat, in order to find my peace of mind into something reliable and well-defined, which brings peace and harmony.
What colors will you recommend this summer?
Pastel colors, absolutely! And earth colors in all their shades, but always with a hint of bright and vivid color such as neon ones.
Who are you clients and where?
I have clients from different countries…I don’t have a specific ID of my ordinary customer because the lines and shapes of the bags are very much appreciated by people of different ages and social classes. Being fully customizable, our product can be worn by anyone who likes standing out.
Company name origins, how did you develop this?
Yosono means “I am” in Italian: that’s where we started from..We just changed the letter “I” in “Y” because we love the “Japanese” sound it has, something more “international”. “I am” because when you buy one of our bags, your personality inevitably infuses in the bag itself, which shouts out loud “This is what I am!”.
Being a designer how did you start and what advice would you give to a young bag designer.
I recommend young designers follow their own path autonomously, without getting distracted by what other people are doing. I also suggest working against the tide without following what the market actually wants and going on with strength and commitment, as tough times may come…so, never give up.
I saw Studio 189 on a luxury website. The Ghana brand eye catching patterns peaked my curiosity. The brand collaboration between actress Rosario Dawson and Adrima Eriah is a rising star in the fashion world with social justice credentials by supporting African production.
Click below to see the fashion shows.
Before Tacky podcast talks about fast fashion. The panel breakdowns the reality. Do buyers really want to pay extra for eco fashion?
Click below to watch the show.