September 27, 2019 |
The delightful oddities found in Glenn Marten’s collections for Y/Project are much loved by the fashion crowds, but have always been garnering a different kind of attention from the mass media. “I Wore The Ugliest Jacket In The World For A Week” and “I Wore Thigh-High Uggs For A Week” are titles of vlogger Safiya Nygaard’s YouTube videos, both garnering over 5 million views both focusing on Martens’ signature pieces that have become part of the viral Internet culture as soon as they walked his catwalk. One being a mega long-sleeved denim jacket and the other a result of the Rihanna-approved collab with Ugg. For SS20, the Belgian designer decided to lean into all those memes he, probably unintentionally, catapulted into the world. The Y/ Project-ness was turned to the max, making the collection look even more mad and mish-mashed than usual.
For a few seasons now, the brand’s focus has been shifting from daywear and denim onto the luxury and couture of evening wear offerings. Yes, there was a few oddly-cut jeans in the mix, but the haute characteristics of the Belle Époque led the way. Leaning into the purposeful volume play, ruffles poked out of structured dresses, forming fabric clouds and framing the face of its wearer. A strong set of skills in tailoring was on display too, always trying to trick the onlooker. Boxy suits in wrinkled organza looked rich and heavy when static, but in action, they seemed totally feather-light, like an aura surrounding the model. Martens celebrates the freedom of choice by taking it to the extreme. But don’t dismiss any of his decisions for being random – this is couture for those with a great sense of humour. Can’t wait to see the next video… Maybe “I Wear A Black Velvet Gown With Seven Collars For A Week”? We’d watch that.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans.
