PFW: Ceramic Art & Paintings Inspire New Designers For AW15

Ellery Australia’s Ellery returned to Paris for an architectural collection with long lines and references to the artist, Egon Schiele. In front of a bougainvillea-covered wall at Kenzo House, clothes took on the forms of a make-believe wardrobe for Schiele’s early-20th-century feminine muses, potentially hiding the grotesque subtleties of the Austrian painter’s work. Minimal specks of embellishment made from ceramic discs sat on black dresses and contrast white silks added proportioned volume in layers with elongated sleeves. Ellery reworked flecked wool, adding sequins to the overall finish, while finely cut Lurex in copper formed as fringing on silk georgette. Sourced from textile maker, Jakob Schlaepfer, the fantasy fabrics evoked a richness a little rare with all the minimalism these days. Returning to more modern times, Ellery’s go-to billow pants offered mini-details when looked upon up closes - the trousers funneling out for an updated Seventies feel. Key fabrics and prints: Paisley prints / Suede/ Lurex / Monochrome / Ceramic embellishment / Fringing / Silk / Flecked wool / Micro-prints / Feathers
Each x Other Formed in 2012, Each x Other centers around art (mostly poetry) impeding on fashion. Designing a masculine wardrobe for women, the label’s France/Sweden duo, Ilan Delouis and Jenny Mannerheim sent unisex tailoring down the runway in timeless navy with oversized crisp white shirting almost passing for feminine in silk-look cuts. Bridging the mass-production gap between the collection and the wearer, black and cream joined blue adding to fashion-ed up sports tennis stripes, tailored pants and leather. There were lean architectural and floor-sweeping coats and a reworking of herringbone with a deep V-neck. Pinstripes were everywhere: wool trousers, coats and even on leather boots. Modernizing traditional tailoring, business shirts turned superhero with a cape, while knitwear saw a chunky cashmere sweater stretched to large proportions. Contemporary denims were coated and pressed to look like suit pants, too; worn with another super long luxury trench. Key fabrics and prints: Pinstripes/ Cotton / Wool / Herringbone / Cashmere / Glazed denim / Silk / Leather / Cable knit
Christian Wijnants Still relatively new to the Paris design scene, Wijnants has come a very long way since his 2003 debut. But when it comes to textiles, the designer remains experimentally-focused. Print and texture were central with mohair shorts, tank tops, minimal and graphic silhouettes that experiment with textile techniques - from feather-look appliques to coat rugs that wrapped to modernized plaid prints. Cord-tied skirts, flowy outerwear, preppy skirts matched polo necks, too. Inspired by Irish photographer Jackie Nickerson and her Farm series, Wijnant injected banana leaf monochrome prints stuck on like stickers into fabrics, before ending things with patchwork, stitch and a topography of textures. Key fabrics and prints: Flocked wool / Knitwear / Matted wool / Applique / Patent boots / Leather / Blanket embedded with Swarovski crystal / Abstract floral / Block abstracted into print / Check / Plaid / Feather like organdie embroidery