“Be the character you are, really lean into your appearance. “Each one of you is here for who you are.” This is how the showrunner shouted before the models came out for the Prototypes presentation.
They came out furious, furtive or hunched depending on their clothing. A utilitarian ensemble based on an anorak came out with a bang, while a garter belt made from men’s tank tops under red shorts made a confident move.
Others kept their faces completely hidden by hair or hoodies, and many had their hands stuffed deep in their pockets or wrapped around themselves, either in a warm embrace or holding on for dear life. The collection “tells a story of preservation in technique and spirit,” according to exhibition notes.
Designers Callum Pidgeon and Laura Beham revealed it was a “conceptual direction” from stylist Betsy Johnson.
“You can really manipulate silhouettes and body language by using your hands in unconventional pocket locations,” they said. The designers also focus on the resistance of the fabrics: everything is recycled. They reused dead Yeezy material for five looks in this collection.
That’s no coincidence, as the two have been named senior design partners for Kanye West’s Yeezy, and the Zurich-based team recently spent some of their time in Los Angeles. The collection focuses on misplaced archetypes of American culture. You can see West’s influence in some of the collection’s final looks, with faces completely wrapped in fabric in the style of his latest outings.
“Working creatively with Ye and the Yeezy team has been a constant learning curve and he is a great mentor to us,” they said.
Oversized bags made from old jackets are a smart idea, but pieces that unite hands and body seem contradictory to the focus on freedom of character. Elsewhere they mix textures nonchalantly, like a lifeguard T-shirt over a faux fur chubby.
A voluminous black jacket with shoulders puffed out to Elizabethan proportions paired with a nylon pencil skirt spilling out of its original hood made inventive use of discarded sportswear that shows they have construction chops.
When working with recycling, a consistently strong point of view will be needed to create something cohesive and defend viability.
