For spring, Calvin Luo was inspired by the German-Polish artist Alicja Kwade, known for her sculptures and installations that deal with the concept and perception of time, space, and reality. “Alicja is very good at manipulating common materials, and recombining ordinary items to ‘rebirth’ her structures,” Luo explained over Zoom from Shanghai. “So I spent a lot of time and focus developing the texture of fabrics, and combining different types of materials to integrate into the collection.”
Jackets and zip-up blousons came in tweed and houndstooth, and were pieced together with knitted or jersey panels, and embellished with mismatched buttons—some vintage and some deadstock from previous collections—as textural elements. Denim pieces were two-sided, constructed with jersey in the back. “When you look at the piece from a different angle, you get a different vibe. You know, the denim is more casual and the jersey is quite sporty,” Luo added.
He also took the sneakers he showed last season, and added a thick rubber outsole “to provide more function.” “Now it can be useful for hiking or outdoor activities,” he said. Metal beads were strung together into vests and skirts and used as embellishment on dresses and other casual separates. Thin metal wiring—normally used for eyeglasses—was fashioned into metal rings that were both decorative and functional. There were exciting details in every garment and yet they managed to retain a feeling of ease about them.
Most successful was Luo’s take on tailoring. Jackets were constructed with a “fold” at the hem that gave the impression of two jackets being layered on top of each other. A pair of skirt suits featured jackets with deconstructed lapels that created an interesting geometric effect which was mirrored in their matching skirts. They may have been born from conceptual thinking, but their execution proved quite timeless. Even Luo’s experiments with unusual materials, like the little bags strung on chains (“for airpods,”) and baseball hats made from shiny ceramic, felt wearable, a reflection of the collection as a whole.
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