Staged as a rebellion against conventional ideas of romance, Aganovich's A/W 08-09 show began with strings, Sinatra, and an traditional ivory wedding dress, complete with veil and red roses. There was then a perceptible shift in attitude; the beat changed to pounding dubstep, and the show really got underway.
If, as the press release states, the collection is inspired by the 'competitive nature of Valentine's', Aganovich's answer appears to lie in aggression and haughty attitude. Harsh contrasts of red and black, severe sillouettes emphasising the shoulders, and solid tailoring were reminiscent of an imagined style of Soviet aristocracy. The warlike feeling was reflected in the models' abrubt movements and almost military march down the catwalk, while the sense of dystopia was further emphasised by the styling: the models' faces were warpainted with futuristic blue and silver shapes, their hair was slicked into gelled updos or edged shapes.
The look was stiff, yet luxurious - soft cashmeres and wools were given intricate embroidered patterns and textured accents, in muted hues of taupe and camel. Certainly not the most innovative or inspiring of collections, but all the pieces were highly wearable, which is a crucial aspect of design that is all too often forgotten on the Fashion Week catwalks.
[Pui-Tien Man]
photos: vogue.com
