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| Maarten Kolk and Guus Kusters, Tawny Owl, 2009 Credit: Artnet.com |
Brooding colours, complicated construction/deconstruction and edgy elegance marked A.F. Vandevorst’s Autumn/Winter collection. Claiming inspiration from the Dutch artistic duo Maarten Kolk and Guus Kuster, the Dutch artists’, An Vandevorst and Filip Arickx played with the Kolk and Kuster avian motif.
The show had a military twist: admiral coats with pinned back lapels and shining buttons were manipulated, clinched and turned into capes. Riding high on the military theme came jodhpur esque trousers and strapped and buckled boots. The tailoring too twisted and a bit subversive. Unexpected button placement and ripples of fabric were perfectly fitted and show a peek of white shirt and the merest smidgen of a newspaper print ruffle (- possibly an inappropriate reference to a Galliano-trademarked motif).
Under the suited and tailored attire was exquisitely pleated silks and leathers. At the back the silhouette bustled, like a bird’s tail, obviously, with fabric spewing out of jacket vents. Propped up by quasi bondage strapping the tail-bustle was possibly the only avian reference. Nonetheless, the shape was quite beautiful. Oversized knits layered over maxi bias-cut silk gowns finished the collection.
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| Credit: Style.com |
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| Credit: Style.com |
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| Credit: Style.com |
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| Credit: Style.com |