Alexander Wang’s menswear debut for Balenciaga was purposefully relative to his first womenswear collection for the maison – and there seemed to be a similar instantaneous appreciation for both his efforts. The collections shared many details like the metal ‘safety pin’ closures: a nod to artist David Jablowsk’s Common Object, as well as references to the label’s couture heritage. Wang’s signature style came via the darkly streamlined tailoring, contrasted with his affinity to combine new materials and proportions with the traditional. Glossy fabrics juxtaposed with matte. Wool, silk, mohair and cotton were integrated with nylon and PVC. A quest for both rigidity and movement was played out, especially regarding the fluidly fitted pants offset against structured leather outerwear. There were few prints; instead we see optical play, in a tribute to California artists James Turrel, Larry Bell and Robert Irwin’s work with light. Razor sharp jackets and killer footwear have been revered Balenciaga pieces season after season for both men and women – which Wang didn’t fail to incorporate for SS14.
He used the tried and tested recipe for covetable everyday pieces, cleverly pairing classicism with nonchalance.Suits are growing into an important part of the Balenciaga oeuvre. The collection had been sporty as shin guards for seasons, but the reintroduction of traditional suiting to its racks last Spring seems to have set Nicolas Ghesquière and his design team on a new course. Now they've got tailoring in mind, though not necessarily the kind you'd find on an office drone. Picking up where the women's pre-fall collection began, Ghesquière was thinking of the late seventies and early eighties. John Lurie became the guiding spirit. Lurie and his Lounge Lizards loved a suit, and if Balenciaga's are stricter, straighter, and tighter than the sacks they used to favor, most would count that an advantage. They're definitely not drone-ish in colors like brick red and wine stain. Neither are the Chelsea boots, in oxidized silver python and bright white leather.The dialogue between menswear and womenswear at the house has been going on for a few seasons.
Here you saw it clearly—literally, too, if you caught the men's looks that Ghesquière previewed when he showed pre-fall in New York earlier this month. But there were correlations in shape and style as well. A padded jacket, modeled in part after a jockey's jacket, picked up the spongy styles seen on the Spring '12 womenswear runway. As extreme as they seemed then, they seemed even more so now. More immediately accessible was the selection of leather moto jackets. They're a first for men, but have been a staple of the women's collection for some time. GRAILED IS A COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE FOR MEN'S CLOTHING SHOP THE BEST CATALOG AT UNBEATABLE PRICES Buy with confidence from our highly curated selection of quality menswear. Each piece comes from the closet of fellow fashion enthusiasts. Shop current collections or the best of previous seasons: You'll never find a better price. TURN YOUR CLOSET INTO CASH List your clothing quickly and easily, get paid instantly. Bought something you never wore or doesn’t fit?
Whatever the reason, pass your loved pieces onto like-minded users and finally get your Grail. SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: GRAILED, HYPE, BASICS Browse Grailed for luxury brands and designers (Saint Laurent, Rick Owens, Acne), Hype for new releases and streetwear (Supreme, Air Jordan, Yeezy Season) and Basics for mainstream brands (J.Crew, Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren).Thu March 27th 2014 at 5.41 PMZARA SHAMELESSLY COPY EVERY MAJOR FASHION PLAYER I’m not a lawyer, but if I was a lawyer at LVMH I’d be getting busy with a suit against Zara on behalf of Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Celine and Kenzo. If I was Prada I’d be toying with doing the same. There are knock-offs and there are downright rip-offs and the below comparisons fall into the latter category. It amazes me that Zara gets away with it, yet on they go ripping off the creative output of Raf Simons et al. I wonder if perhaps the LVMH lawyers tolerate their labels being copied because Zara is by no means a competitor to their brands.
And their clothing is caviar to the tapioca of high street fodder. Whatever, it feels to me no-one wins here. Why is a business as successful as Zara not able or willing to create more original output? Does the person who buys a shameless copy think she is buying something extra special because it is similar looking to something shown on a catwalk? Maybe she doesn’t know. If you are interested in further reading on the legal ins and outs of this, check out The Fashion Law. In the meantime, marvel at Zara’s audacity.The Balenciaga Summer 2017 Collection has arrived at Dover Street Market. Loewe SS17 collection has arrived in the Loewe Space on the Second Floor. New styles from Itchy Scratchy Patchy now available at Dover Street Market and on the DSML E-SHOP. Now available at Dover Street Market and on the DSML E-SHOP. New Fucking Awesome has arrived at Dover Street Market and on the DSML E-SHOP. New styles from Homecore have arrived in the Homecore Space.
adidas Consortium Sneaker Exchange KITH x NAKED NMD CS2 now available at DSML and on the DSML E-SHOP. New styles from Sophie Buhai now available in the DSM Jewellery Space and on the DSML E-SHOP. Play Comme des Garçons back in stock at Dover Street Market and on the DSML E-SHOP. Thom Browne x DSM Specials have arrived at DSML and on the DSML E-SHOP. Repossi “Antifer en Chute” collection now available exclusively at DSML and on the DSML E-SHOP. Palace Spring 2017 collection available now on the DSML E-SHOP. Loewe Sea Water Green Puzzle bag and Hammock Bag now available from the Loewe Space on the Second Floor. New styles from Adidas x Raf Simons have arrived at Dover Street Market. Chalayan SS17 collection has arrived at Dover Street Market. adidas Consortium x Sneaker Politics Gazelle PK now available at DSML and on the DSML E-SHOP. The Sacai Women’s SS17 collection available now in the Sacai Space. Archive logo coat back in stock at DSML.
New Castro has arrived at Dover Street Market and on the DSML E-SHOP. Now available exclusively at Dover Street Market and on the DSML E-SHOP. egg SS17 collection available now at Dover Street Market. New to DSML is Rue de Verneuil, now available on the Third Floor. Hereu SS17 collection now available from the Third Floor. NikeLab Dunk Lux High x RT now available at NikeLab DSM LDN. Sara Lanzi SS17 second delivery has arrived at Dover Street Market. Lena Lumelsky SS17 second delivery has arrived at Dover Street Market. Play Comme des Garçons x Converse Chuck Taylor All Star ’70 Polka Dot now available at Dover Street Market and on the DSML E-SHOP. The Céline Summer 2017 collection now available from the Céline Space on the First Floor. The Céline “Medium Clasp” and “Cabas Clasp” now available exclusively from the Céline Space on the First Floor. New styles from Toogood have arrived in the Natural Space on the Third Floor.
New to DSML is Spingle Move. Available now, in-store and online. The Hero Bag now available from the Delvaux Space on the First Floor. New Casey Casey styles have arrived in the Natural Space on the Third Floor. J.W. Anderson Mini Pierce Bags have arrived at DSML and on the DSML E-SHOP. New styles from the Walter Van Beirendonck SS17 collection have arrived in the General Men’s Space on the Second Floor. Comme des Garçons x Nike Air Moc now available exclusively at Dover Street Market. Vetements SS17 Second Delivery has arrived at Dover Street Market and the DSML E-SHOP. New styles from Undercover Men’s SS17 collection have arrived at DSML. New styles from Undercover Women’s SS17 collection now available at DSML. New pieces from Ana Khouri now available in the DSM Jewellery Space. New styles from Proenza Schouler’s SS17 collection have arrived at Dover Street Market. J.W. Anderson Jewellery collection has arrived in the DSM Golden Room.