In our previous post, we explored designs inspired by hair (and hairs), moving from Givenchy's A/W 24 menswear collection that also included coats and pants embellished with stiff horsehair.
Another recent collection embracing body-sprouting elements is Jacquemus' S/S 24, showcased yesterday at the Fondation Maeght (the building was designed by architect Josep Lluís Sert) in Saint-Paul-de-Vence in the South of France, and celebrating the brand's 15th anniversary.
Models strutted amidst sculptures by Alberto Giacometti and Joan Miró, donning designs that may have been filed under the normcore or quiet luxury attire.
However, closer inspection revealed arty details, such as faux twin sets and shoes featuring trompe l'oeil double heels in contrasting colors and patterns (leopard and fuchsia; black and white or python and yellow View this photo).
The elongated jersey column dresses complemented Giacometti's figures, while round sleeves of coats and jackets (evoking the shapes favoured by Daniel Roseberry at Schiaparelli) and amplified waistbands nodded at his "Femme Cuillère" (Spoon Woman) sculpture.
Surrealism took center stage with suits and dresses sprouting black horse-like tails, possibly signaling a trendy equestrian theme for the upcoming season.
Jacquemus describes his designs as "pop luxury", that is luxury pieces that still embrace wrong and humorous elements, as proved by the asymmetries in his designs and the Surrealist details, such as stand-away collars.
That said, in fashion the concept of elements that sprout from the clothes isn't new: Cinzia Ruggeri's "Abito Muretto" (Wall Dress; S/S 1983) featured, on a background print of a stonewall, appliqued flowers in plastic tubes and lizards, and the stonewall print was also replicated on a skirt suit with grass sprouting from the jacket and the skirt.
A few years later, Cinzia Ruggeri introduced a glove that sprouted vivid green blades of grass, suggesting an inner energy force in the wearer and maybe nodding at Ovid's "Metamorphoses", a concept she expanded in 2019 in a mosaic representing a hand wearing her glove and sprouting blades of grass.
The three-dimensional mosaic was featured in the exhibition "La règle du jeu?". The inspiration behind this exhibition came from Jean Renoir's 1939 eponymous film, revolving around the experiences of record-breaking aviator André Jurieux.
The mosaic of the glove alludes to the metamorphosis experienced by André, transitioning from human to plant, with the transformative journey commencing from the gloves themselves.
Hair or blades of grass sprouting from clothes can carry a profound meaning: while they create a surreal and dynamic aura around the wearer's body, they hint at the notions of life regeneration and mutation, offering a visual representation of the forces within us, and of our transformative potential.
Moreover, these garments or art pieces sprouting elements serve a dual purpose, they extend the human body into space, inviting others to reach out to the wearer and maybe touch the garments donned by them; at the same time, they also create a barrier, keeping people at a symbolic distance. Whether a metaphor for personal transformation or a creative approach to physical distancing, these elements add therefore a layer of depth and meaning to fashion and self-expression.
Comments