so while opt hasn't exactly regularly checked in with garza lobos' work at buenos aires fashion week, seeming to pop in only once a year or so to see what's up (see f/w 2011 & s/s 2012), i've always liked the house's layered eclecticism, and if the big-name argentine models (tati cotliar, sofia krawczyk, magda laguinge) on the catwalk of their s/s 2013 show was any indication, they're doing pretty well commanding attention for themselves as one of the, like, 'it' events at bafw. good for them.
anyway, fairly complex in the inspiration they chose for spring, the argentine blog diez pasarelas explained that the show alternately included (trans.) "references to John Hubley, the artist and director of American art; Paul Gauguin, the French painter; and Herend Hungarian porcelain craft manufacturing." anyway, they went on to note that gauguin's period of living and working in tahiti in particular inspired the collection, and it was this combined with the nautical inflences of the porcelain and some of mr. hubley's rounded shapes that they used to pull things together.
on the whole, i would say that the range felt quite similar in tone to the garza lobos collections we've seen in the past, with lots of layers and asymmetrical drapes, with plenty of unexpected colour and pattern pairings together on an individual look. this time around the bafw site, which got ahold of the label's press release, noted that the materials included cotton, gazar, raffia, and silk, along with some (trans.) "enameled aluminum," which i'm presuming was probably for the accessories or embellishments.
the palette, as usual, was pretty varied, and included, as they related (trans.) "navy blue, nude, coral, blue, crimson, purple, amber, lemon, gold, silver, [and] black." we saw several different competing motifs, from nautical stripes, to some geometric shapes, art-y splotches, and florals, as well as several artsy abstract prints, and a lot of colour (and fabric) blocking, as appears to be quite the de rigueur thing chez garza lobos. but thanks to differing drapes and cuts, what has some basis in similarity (meaning you needn't throw out your season-old pieces) still can feel very fresh and new.
anyway, the overall impression was one of nautical combined with a polynesian flair, decreed the argentine blog planeta mujer, and i'll agree that the theme was surprising spot-on, reading quite nicely (and never seeming overly ambitious, silly, or difficult to spot in actual analysis) throughout. the brand still definitely favours little sleeveless cocktail-y type frocks, some falling well above the knee as to be almost obscenely short, while others were a little more demure, coming down just to it. however, i'd say they were at their best when they went for more of a tea length, as the stunning coral draped number worn by tati cotliar.
on the whole, if i was left wanting for anything (and really, i wasn't), it might have been that they've had explored the longer dress idea a little more; they generally seem to want to toss only a couple of examples in, and spend the rest of the time with these so-short numbers, which are cute, but maybe not all a girl wants (and they obviously know this, making the insistence on keeping up with it that much more irritating). ditto for trousers/shorts/whatever. in other words, though they've got many great ideas and an outstanding execution, ultimately, i'd just like to see a handful more variety in the final showing; i think it would make an already excellent collection just that little bit it needs in order to be wholly satisfying (see additional runway images at moda al dia & fashion radicals).
