Raf Simons x Sterling Ruby

For this fall 2014, Raf Simons and Sterling Ruby decided to collaborate on this AW14 collection and when two artists intertwined what is the result? A wonderful collection out of this world, verging on fantasy. When browsing the collection online I discovered the work of Julia Noni and the stylist Tobias Frericks for the GQ Style Germany and I have to say, they nailed it. Thanks to the aura of Fernando Cabral, the model, the settings where reunited to gather a feeling of dizziness. The garments themselves are the results of splashing colours on a neutral piece plus the adds by a delicate couturier like Raf. The mix is a success and reveals a rare way of thinking in the fashion world nowadays.
I had the opportunity to try on the collection myself, and this collection is even better in reality. The high quality of the fabrics used by Simons has a unique sensation and makes you feel his universe through one piece. Few pieces are, despite the vision of this collaboration, a bit off topic with a very basic design without any uniqueness, but overall this is one of my favourite collection so far.

Comme des Garçons Womenswear SS15

Once again Rei Kawakubo did an amazing collection - few looks for this season but an incredible use of red among fairy tales inspiration and previous works. It is like we were watching the exit of a Disney movie after a crazy evening where everyone gone mad especially the princess. The inspiration where clearly from a chaotic scene where the fairyland turned into a dark asylum where blood were spilled, this first impression I had, was that the manga Knights of Sidonia could have been reality out of this catwalk. The little red hood transformed into a gigantic cloak of protection, like a shell to repulse the violent outside world. The dolls of Rei Kawakubo were either showing off some madness or either some innocence by being protected by the outfit.

This wonderful morbid combination was almost achievable only by the mysterious Mrs Kawakubo, this delicate taste that makes you want to feel it, graze it, touch it. Almost like a deadly rose among the flowerbed, its innocence captures your deep thoughts and carries you into its own world where the fantasy lives. I really love this collection, the colours are sumptuous and reveal a really high and talented skills displayed by the master.

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Tatyana Parfionova - ТАТЬЯНА ПАРФЁНОВА

When I first came to Russia last week, I was hit by the perception of Russian fashion by the Russian people. For them it does not exist or it is only either trash or either way too expensive for what is it, which is another problem young designers have, as they do not know what segment they should put their collection in. Thanks to my friend, working at Norsoyan and R.E.D designers, I had this awesome insight of the business of fashion in Russia, its problems and its advantages. Along my trip, here in Russia, we went for few days in Saint-Petersburg to walk on the Nevsky, wander around the Hermitage, Catherine Palace and also, visit some concept and designers stores. He wanted to show me this designer, Tatyana Parfionova, St. Petersburg's most famous fashion designer. Tatyana moved to Leningrad from Ukraine when she was 8 and then founded in 1995, her own fashion house. I did not know what to expect from the outside but once we got inside the shop, like opening a new book, I was seduced by her universe.

Firstly, she is an artist above her designer's label, she has a home section along her clothing line. Her store in Saint-Petersburg is an all-in store, except menswear which is only available on order. The office, fitting room, rest room, home and collections display are all in the same room. After a quick look through her collection, I was impressed by the quality of the pieces and the originality of their designs, structured or unstructured with suits similar to some Thom Browne pieces with a print inside, making the suit unique. You can easily feel this cold and luxurious aspect of the Russian History with a touch of craziness as a real artist. Mixing colours, prints and cuts, it is like opening a book, you are attracted by a nice cover but then you can discover a charming story, that how I felt when I was browsing her womenswear collection for this winter. Each pieces (from the couture collection) are handmade by an efficient team, therefore each pieces are truly unique.

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西山 景子 - Keiko Nishiyama

Keiko is a fashion designer born in Tokyo in 1984 and studied BA Fashion and Performance in Tokyo, she is also based in Tokyo and London as she also did a MA Fashion Design at LCF after working as an assistant designer. She is my new favourite in the new wave of young designers. I came across her work few months ago and assisted to her défilé this September 12th in London, she was nominated and took part in the Ones to Watch show organised by Fashion Scout and the British Fashion Council. Her website, Keiko Nishiyama is very well detailed and you can read all about her new collections, her inspirations and her own adaptations.

Her first real collection is the AW13, inspired by British garden; She makes the drawings herself and asks to a Japanese digital printing company to deal with the printing part of the process, as she takes pride in the high skill of the Japanese people. Her designs include delicate prints originally drafted from hand drawn pieces and edited to create the imbalance in the garments which create visual illusions and is achieved through careful colouring. Her underlying concept and ideas of printing, the new and the old, flow from the idea of a “hybrid and cabinet of curiosity” where materials are mixed to create an atmosphere of mystery. As she did for her "first" collection a mix of old and new flowers to create this mystery around that old garden, where different eras intertwines.

This SS15 is her very first collection after being graduated, and - clearly inspired by the aquatic fauna, was a statement to art. She wanted to make this collection a living museum worn by her pieces, a moving aquarium was marching in front of us. Again the incredible quality of prints where remarkable - this is her own Japanese touch that we may find again soon in her next collections, but if the quality remains the same, without no doubt that it would be another success.

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Eudon Choi

If I have to tell you one of my flaw is that I often write when something lit the spark, I make few adjustments and then I publish it. I hate spending too much time or several sessions on one article otherwise I lose the mood that I was trying to insert in these words. So whenever I do not write during a period, it is because I did not have that little thing that makes me write article in one go. Today I came across something very interesting, that lit the spark and that caught my attention, the work of Eudon Choi, a Korean designer based in London. After a small start in 2010 thanks to the Vauxhall Fashion Scout Merit Award at the LFW and by invitation by Anna Winter at the Milan Fashion Week, he is now well on his way to achieve something admirable.

Whatever you will think when you will see his collections, he is Korean and his work is well soaked by that. The clean cuts, the formal patterns, this idea of a lustful minimalism and this touch of crazy opulence make the Korean fashion so appreciated. Tidy outfits on the catwalk, reflecting this well-organised mind of his and the inspiration from menswear, Eudon Choi did not have to wait too long before being respected as a true challenger in the fashion world. I would be delighted to see him working on a collection for men, would it be the same inspiration or will we see more of this vintage aspect on a man's silhouette? Here are my three favourites outfits from his past collections. I have been seduced by this use of old styled garments such as the uniform and the dress we can see in his collection, brought back to life in this new century with a modern Korean touch.

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