Hussein Chalayan is a master with fabric. He’s one of few designers in the industry that’s able to work with any material and transform it into wearable works of art. His creations are more than typical apparel but are also more wearable than avant-garde. And within this equilibrium lies his genius. In fact, for his Pre-Fall 2019 collection, Chalayan artfully flexed his creative muscles to construct and a profound array of museum-worthy looks that are simple enough to be worn on the street. The theme here is pretension, not within its negative connotation regarding class, but rather the tension one feels when set against reality. It’s a blurry line between imagination and truth, which perfectly illustrates his new offering. At first glance, the clothes seem simple, elegant, and chic, but with his expert cutting and sublime manipulations, each piece isn’t what it seems. The fabrics are folded, pleated, and deconstructed to create new shapes never before seen. A white shirt, for example, is folded and draped by the chest area to create an illusion of another layer, when it’s actually one piece altogether. The same goes with a checked coat, whose oversized silhouette veers away from the body to create a new and exciting form. And yet with such artistry, these are numbers that are easy to wear for any occasion. Only Chalayan can create such subtle masterpieces.
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Photo: Courtesy of Chalayan
