Corsetry may be a thing of the past, but Chalayan just took it to contemporary heights for Fall 2019. In celebrating 25 years of his brand, he focused on the classic garments and spun it for both futuristic and fetishistic tastes. In a tuxedo skirt suit, it allowed a form-fitting and refined silhouette to appear rigid, poised, and distinguished. Provided the reference, the tailoring here was superbly structured, to the point that the garments almost looked too rigid to be worn. But when they are donned, they had a sublime elegance to them that was empowering and alluring. A more youthful touch came in the striped pieces as if to invoke a sense of ease to an otherwise restricted style. But in leather iterations, on the other hand, the corsetry suddenly darkened and was sexualized. Be it as an off-the-shoulder cocktail dress or a round-shouldered pantsuit, the power was still there, but it looked almost dominatrix-looking, which itself has its own appeals. And for the finale, a series of black floral frocks with puppeteers acting as the wind that helped such softness billow. The dramatic closing was an appropriate end to a chapter of Hussein Chalayan—a designer that has long defined and defied the norms of fashion.
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com
