So, What Were the Best Looks From Fashion Week?
The past fashion month — 17 days of industry-wide chaos and exhausted journalists — witnessed some big changes and a few beautiful moments. There was Kim Jones' debut as artistic director of Dior, with commissioned projects from KAWS and Matthew Williams. Williams’ own label, 1017 ALYX 9SM, staged its first runway show. And, of course, Virgil Abloh unveiled his first menswear collection for Louis Vuitton.
At the end of Abloh's rainbow-colored runway, he and Kanye West hugged it out in tears. It was, in many ways, the start of a revolution.
Highsnobiety was on the ground in London, Florence, Milan, and Paris, and we've asked the fashion team what they thought was the best look from the season.
Let us know if you agree, and tell us what stood out for you in the comments.
Style tribes at UNDERCOVER
"The UNDERCOVER finale stood out as one of the best moments of the season. Fashion is now all about collective self-expression and weirdos finding their tribes. Jun Takahashi's collection reflected this beautifully, tying it into ’70s cult movie The Warriors, which is about fictitious New York gangs vying for control of the city while clad in signature uniforms. His finale had all eight of his fashion gangs waving their own flags on the runway, sort of a metaphor for how confidently men wear whatever clothes they want today."
— Jian DeLeon, Editorial Director
Old and new Americana at Facetasm
“Facetasm’s SS19 show in Paris stood out for me, the look above in particular. My first reason being that I love a poncho. Also, it’s a strong reference to Native American culture but juxtaposed with some preppy collegiate iconography. It’s a powerful, self-aware comment on fashion’s obsession with Americana right now — which we’ve seen at Rick Owens and Études — but with a twist. The show was like a breath of fresh air, with a real flair for avant-garde design that is wearable, a bit questionable, but all in all not following the trend.
“Also, refreshingly, there was not a collab in sight, which allowed the collection to speak for itself without relying on anyone else for a talking point.”
— Atip Wananuruks, Fashion Director
Mourning at Ann Demeulemeester
"It was hard to escape the hype at Paris Fashion Week. Every day there was one, if not more, massive show filled with rappers, Instagram celebrities, and paparazzi. Luxury streetwear is so commonplace now that you feel like you’re drowning in expensive sneakers. But Ann Demeulemeester shows are like looking back in time to a period when designers wanted to create genuinely beautiful things.
“This season, the models wore lace veils and were clutching black roses. It was beautiful and sad, as Ann D shows always are, but it was extra poignant because, now that streetwear is the norm, you can’t help but feel like high fashion’s days are numbered."
— Alec Leach, Digital Fashion Editor
Toxic masculinity at Alexander McQueen
"I was pretty moved by Alexander McQueen’s show in Paris. Sarah Burton paid homage to Irish-British painter Francis Bacon, whose haunting depictions of the fraught and violent male psyche feel pertinent right now. Emotionally charged splashes of paint that looked like bruises were detailed onto traditional signifiers of masculinity, such as fine tailoring and leather pants and jackets. It was a sobering look at the male ego in the 21st century.
“Refreshingly, the collection made me forget about luxury streetwear, and I thought about how clothes can tell more personal stories when they’re not clawing for virality and marketing-friendly collaborations."
— Max Grobe, Associate Fashion Editor
Prophetic design at Kiko Kostadinov
"Kiko Kostadinov’s SS19 show was, for me, the perfect culmination of stylistic influences, and a considered projection of what we can all expect to feature heavily in next year’s fashion circuit.
“Overall, the collection oozed Japanese chic, fusing it with utilitarian, clean-cut minimalism more akin to countries in Eastern Europe. The slubby sophistication of the look above, reminiscent of Takuji Suzuki’s ts(s), matched well with a fleeting look at Kostadinov’s forthcoming ASICS collaboration. The established aesthetic of the sportswear monolith helped add a degree of much-needed technicality to the outfit by way of a cinched, salmon pink track-top. The otherwise relaxed fit was contrasted by a pair of thick-soled loafers, harking back to Kostadinov’s affinity for all things military.
“The Bulgarian designer has seemingly predicted the future of menswear, as I am almost sure that much of what is featured above will inform the future of fashion. Some of Kostadinov’s work will also build on many of 2018’s trends, namely his Camper partnership, which could revolutionize the chunky sneaker game."
— Adam Barnard, Weekend Editor