March 1, 2019 |
Glenn Martens is riding high. After a stellar outing as part of the last Pitti Uomo fair in Florence, the designer served us a twisted lesson in history at his Y/Project’s women’s show in Paris. Very few designers have as strong of a language in womenswear as they do in their menswear. Martens is definitely one of them – there’s a synergy between his collections, yet they seem to be approached individually. With his strong sensibility and a clear visual identity, the clothes on show are always visually interesting. They make you want to look twice, perhaps even three times, all to just understand what’s happening in front of your eyes. That’s not to say the clothes are avant-garde – Y/Project serves wardrobe classics, interpreted with wit and intelligence.
For AW19, Martens looked at the ways female dress changed through history. From the House of Tudor in the 1500s all the way to the sharp eclecticism of the 1970s, the references were all over the place but never looked random. There was an added dose of glamour to the conversation, perhaps in an attempt to move on Y/Project from the avalanche of streetwear taking over women’s fashion. With the past shows, signature accessories clearly emerged from the collection, and this time was no different. Harmonica bags, scrunched thigh-high boots and oyster pearl earrings and necklaces – these were all pieces that are guaranteed to sell out in the months to come. Finishing the show with a section of high-glam evening looks, Iranian-Dutch singer Sevdaliza glided down the catwalk in a floor-length gown crafted out of shearling straps with a Tudor neckline. Award season might have just ended, but red carpets beware – Y/Project is here for the snaps.
Photographs by Jason-Lloyd Evans.
