Show Report
With raw-edged, bunched seams, sequined transparencies and those asymmetries reminiscent more of Margiela new than old, it would have been more refreshing if Lutz could have spoke with his own voice.
'Shadows' were both the title and starting point for Lutz's Autumn/Winter collection - in a season dominated by the sober, sombre shades of every kind of chiaroscuro, it seemed a fitting choice. As with so many of Lutz's collections, this one explored a single theme through all twists, turns and permutations. It would be simplistic for shadow merely to inform his colour palette; therefore Lutz examined the way shadows fell across an object and overlapped each other, replicating this in wrapped panes and layers of plisse silk-chiffon. Sometimes, a single layer of chiffon formed a physical 'shadow' over another fabric, other times the chiffon looped at hem, falling back across sections of the body and leaving bare windows onto the flesh. Square-cut garments had fluttering fins of fabric cast out from more fitted sections, while asymmetrical, single-sleeved capacious dresses seemed to be literally under a cloud, a single coloured arm or detail emerging from the shadowy depths. All very conceptual, very dark - and frankly, very Margiela. Then again, Margiela's influence is such that it seems churlish to point out his inestimable inspiration to whole generations of designers - not least his own. Still, with raw-edged, bunched seams, sequined transparencies and those asymmetries reminiscent more of Margiela new than old (namely Margiela of just a year hence), it would have been more refreshing if Lutz could have spoke with his own voice.
