After 9 days and 28 hours of flight time, we finally arrived back in Singapore harbouring the energy and inspiration from Paris Fashion Week. Fall 2018 is an enjoyable experience and we would like to share these moments.
Starting off our visit to Paris were the Rick Owens and Boris Bidjan Saberi Fall 2018 runway shows.
The atmosphere before the show was relaxed, words were exchanged with familiar faces. Once settled, the background music from DJ Speedlap quickly drowned out the hushed murmurs and suddenly, the atmosphere with became intense. Regardless of position, every head turned to face the runway entrance. As with the show, our work had just begun
Like clockwork, a new model equipped with a unique outfit entered the runway every few seconds. “SISYPHUS” took us away with a collection of flesh-revealing and heavily deconstructed garments. Chains were seen layered amongst oversized tops, jackets and chaps.
In contrast to Rick’s concrete brutalism, Boris Bidjan Saberi opted for a darker setup, cutting much of the ambient light in favour of harsh spotlights. As was soon apparent, purple was the colour for this season and the show ended with a flourish; with all the models suddenly freezing into position on the catwalk before half-turning to face the show’s attendants. Highlights include heavy outerwear, footwear and noticeably, snowboards from the Salomon collaboration.
When Boris finally revealed himself, it was to grand fanfare as the crowd cheered and applauded the man behind the collection.
The next few days were spent visiting the various designer showrooms, reconnecting with familiar brands and discovering new and remarkable labels.
Of note was the showroom of Taichi Murakami. Located on the fifth floor of a derelict residential building, it felt as if we were meeting an old friend. The room itself was immaculately presented, with shoes displayed on one side of the room opposite a table adorned with rings, necklaces and eyewear. The clothes from the collection hung lazily against the side wall, a testament to Taichi’s designing prowess.
Aside from business matters, the man also opened up about his design ethos. Not one for unnecessary technical details, he instead looks to nature as an inspiration, as opposed to the works of other designers. It’s because of this that Taichi Murakami garments stand out and remain truly unique.
Next was the showroom of Ziggy Chen, where we discovered a collection that was far removed from his previous works, and yet undeniably Ziggy. The contrasting use of yellow against muted earth tones presented a controversial concept, paying homage to the label’s origins.
The next day marked our appointment with the label m.a+, a showroom hidden from the bustle of the city, serendipitously marked with a modest red cross upon a wooden door. Beyond the gate was a quaint garden, at the heart of which sat a bottle of perfume, surrounded by three curiously placed garments.
The showroom interior spoke of another tale, as each garment hung from delicate red threads around the spacious room. Though large and quiet, the atmosphere within the showroom was welcoming, and a pleasant conversation was held with the daughter of Mr Amadei himself.
The next morning we visited the renowned Italian tannery GUIDI at their showroom. Of note was the newest colourway of the season: Cherry. For items of this colour, the leather was specially treated to avoid imparting a “soft” look. Throughout the showroom, bags and accessories of various colours and shapes were displayed, showing the incredible variety and impeccable craftsmanship.
And so as quickly as it came the week was over and business concluded. Time is indeed vicious in its own way. We are glad to be always working with these talented designers from all across the world and to present them in our retail space, here in Singapore.
Au revoir Paris, until next time.