Hed Mayner’s AW23 offering had models swimming in the brand’s oversized silhouettes. With enormous razor-sharp shoulders, multi-pocket parkas, roomy cargos and eccentric deconstructed tailoring, it was a whopping winter-wear display. This created an intimidating effect, so models looked rather domineering despite their modest demeanors and the lightness of the garments. At the same time though, it was more fitted and feminine than ever before, with fluid cropped trousers, small satin bombers, elongated v-neck jumpers and skinny sweats to boot.
With a back-to-basics mindset guiding him in his approach, Mayner carefully considered the construction of the clothing, looking at the pieces as though they had been borrowed, passed down, or even worn by a plethora of diversified people of different ages and generations. For instance, there was a child’s tux that was fitted to an adult figure.
In fact, the stellar threads were described in the show notes as, “a little bit bent” – this was conceded in the construction of his humongous garments especially. Mayner also displayed an acute enthusiasm to embrace the quirky coincidences, blemishes and bruises that come with experimentation; the beautiful mistakes that make fashion such a special, innovative landscape. So, blazers were intentionally tailored to look slightly tugged, cut without curves and then bent into shape for a distorted look. Other classic menswear numbers were subtly altered or completely cut up, turning traditionally tailored outerwear into sleeveless coats or in one case, a slate grey cropped jacket and skirt ensemble. Across many of the looks, actual skin-tone stockings wrapped around their heads like makeshift balaclavas and elsewhere, clunky shoes and leather boots had Mayner navigating a new kind of vestiary vocabulary. In Mayner’s hands, fashion feels fathomless.
Photography courtesy of Hed Mayner.
