ONE-OF-A-KIND COMPOSITIONS. PLAYLISTS CURATED BY LEGENDARY SOUND DESIGNERS. AND HOW ABOUT THAT STATE-OF-THE-ART SPEAKER INSTALLATION? IF FASHION SHOWS ARE ALL ABOUT PUTTING ON A SENSORIAL SPECTACLE, THEN THESE BRANDS CERTAINLY HIT THE HIGH NOTES FOR SPRING/SUMMER 2020 IN SONIC STYLE. IMRAN JALAL REPORTS.
THE SILENCE SPOKE SADNESS (WILLIAM DJOKO EDIT) – AIR SHAPER LET ME SHOW YOU LOVE – ROMANTHONY JAMAICA RUNNING – THE POOL DOG SHELTER – BURIAL OFFWORLD MEMORY 3 – PAUL WOOLFORD ELECTRIAN – DJ SEINFELD
BURBERRY: Titled Evolution, this collection fermented the maison’s Victorian heritage while bringing it back to present day with chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci’s street panache. The mostly neutral-hued line-up paid homage to 19th-century fashion with cinched waists, ballooon sleeves and lots of lace, while featuring chic, modern-day practicalities such as detachable hems and bumbag-meets-belts. On the catwalk, an imposing speaker installation – a sleek take on the steampunk aesthetic – blared a stirring six-song soundtrack curated by Tisci’s pal and Dutch DJ William Djoko. Tunes included the emotive Dog Shelter by British electronic musician Burial and The Pool’s woody percussion number Jamaica Running
DLP 1.1 – WILLIAM BASINSKI SPACESHIP (VITALIC REMIX) – PAULOR
LOEWE: Jonathan Anderson’s poetic vision was translated into a collection that pushed his idea of femininity to extreme proportions. He toyed with the idea of exaggerated pannier shapes on skirts. He also juxtaposed different types of lace – guipure, Chantilly and marguerite were all used – with cotton and Japanese satin for an extra genteel effect. Parisian sound designer Michel Gaubert heightened the ethereal quality of the collection (staged at the Unesco headquarters which was decorated with pops of pampas grass and amethyst geodes) with a two-track playlist. The first was the pulsating dlp 1.1 by American avant-garde composer William Basinski while the other, a futuristic synth-beat tune called Spaceship (Vitalic Remix) by Mexican producer Paulor.
CALLING IT – AUTOMATIC
CELINE: How to electrify and add some rock ’n’ roll to the reveal of a collection that epitomised ’70s Parisian bourgeoisie glamour? Some might call creative director Hedi Slimane’s tendency to turn to young, underground bands to provide the soundtrack as predictable, but the truth is that he never fails to surprise with his pick – and it always works. This time, the dirty, synth-soaked ditty with an infectious bassline that accompanied his models’ jaunt down the runway came courtesy of the Los Angeles all-female post-punk trio Automatic, which is fast carving out a name for their interactive and explosive live performances.
CREEP (DEEP HOUSE REMIX) – RADIOHEAD BUG POWDER DUST (LA FUNK MOB VERSION) – BOMB THE BASS FEAT JUSTIN WARFIELD NUMB (JAZZ VERSION) – PORTISHEAD YATTON – BEAK> USELESS (THE KRUDER & DORFMEISTER SESSION) – DEPECHE MODE 6 UNDERGROUND – SNEAKER PIMPS
TOD’S: For a collection it dubbed “Italian Timeless”, the maison unveiled a catalogue of minimalist perennials made better elevated with the brand’s deep knowhow of leathersmithing. For instance, midi skirts featured rubberised leather and pleats as soft as satin were created from nappa leather. Complementing the collection was a soundtrack assembled by French sound artist and producer Frederic Sanchez who penned a paean to ’80s and ’90s youth with a tracklist that included remixes of Radiohead’s Creep and Portishead’s Numb.
DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME – THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS
MARC JACOBS: The ’70s flower child-inspired outing certainly hit the mark for a Spring/Summer show that the New York designer described as “a celebration of MARC JACOBS: The ’70s flower child-inspired outing certainly hit the mark for a Spring/Summer show that the New York designer described as “a celebration of life, joy, equality, individuality, optimism”. The ebullient collection comprised frothy short dresses exploding with ruffles; a voluminous gown crafted from feathers life, joy, equality, individuality, optimism”. The ebullient collection comprised frothy short dresses exploding with ruffles; a voluminous gown crafted from feathers and organza; and millinery by long-time collaborator Stephen Jones. So what better way to celebrate all that camp and happiness? For music producer Steve Mackey, the answer came in the form of having the models sashay and dance – not walk – to a rendition of the old jazz classic Dream a Little Dream of Me feautring the and organza; and millinery by long-time collaborator Stephen Jones. So what better way to celebrate all that camp and happiness? For music producer Steve Mackey, the answer came in the form of having the models sashay and dance – not walk – to a rendition of the old jazz classic Dream a Little Dream of Me feautring the boisterous vocals of Mama Cass. Pure fashion theatre.
BRIGHT RED – LAURIE ANDERSON UNTITLED 1 – ALEXANDRE DESPLAT MOON RIVER – FRANK OCEAN UNTITLED 1 – ALEXANDRE DESPLAT LOVIN’ YOU – MINNIE RIPERTON UNTITLED 2 – ALEXANDRE DESPLAT LULLABY – THE CURE
VALENTINO : Sound designer Michel Gaubert immersed showgoers in a dreamy state of mind with a pastiche of songs that spanned the sound spectrum: soulful and mellow (Moon River by Frank Ocean) to sweet and angelic (Minnie Riperton’s iconic 1975 pop ballad Lovin’ You). The romantic lyricism of the soundtrack highlighted the beauty of the designs by Pierpaolo Piccioli. For one, he played up on the theme of inclusion with numerous white looks that opened and closed the show – the hue is “ultimately a sum of every colour of the spectrum”, he explained. Interspersed in between were pieces that came in compact and fluorescent shades and Fauvist-style prints of tropical wilderness.
IT’S OKAY TO CRY (EXTENDED LV SS20 EDIT) –SOPHIE
LOUIS VUITTON: Nicolas Ghesquiere has French music video director Woolkid to thank for introducing him to Sophie. The latter is the Glasgow-born musician redefining British music – in part thanks to her coming out as a transwoman and her hyperreal image. Her hi-def electronic sound was on full display at the Louis Vuitton show, which blared an extended cover of her 2017 song It’s Okay to Cry (Ghesquiere describes it as a post-modern serenade). A giant screen beamed a Woolkid-produced video of Sophie belting out as models, dressed in a collection inspired by the dandy style of the Belle Epoque era, stormed the catwalk.
