RIGA FASHION WEEK - FW 14 - DAY 2
Becarousell, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
The first name of the day was Becarousell .
Dace Krieviņa-Bahmane is the head of the atelier, a still young fashion designer graduated from the Riga School of Design and Art Academy of Latvia.
Mrs Krieviņa-Bahmanen has been developing an idea of a new latvian "bourgeoisie", far away from the bling bling, with a precise idea of cut, moving away from the perfect curly blond hair to a wilder aesthetic , the use of embroidery is as controlled as it's supposed to be, and a close relation and positive appreciation about the use of leather, as a fabric and as a technical skill, example as a useful trim to cover seems and to provides a bit of balance or color in a certain peace of clothe.
Becarousell, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
And that seemed like a good way to expect a FW collection.
And as much as this is just the way it is, there was a lot in this fall collection that remind us Tennis, the brand's great SS collection we saw a few months ago.
Shapes or colors result quite familiar especially the use of the mint green leather, a vibrant color not common in leather and not easy to forget.
Becarousell, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
And despite that just moved us a bit outside of the concept of "new", the evolution process from a previous work, and the construction of an identity is also something that a designer must pursuit, establishing the codes of a brand are a difficult and quite important part of a designers work and a clever marketing attitude.
But there was also something that felt fresh and lad us from Riga to a busy corner at Le Marais.
The nonchalant redesign of the menswear evening jacket is the highest point in the FW collection, the way how the lapels were sharply cut and embellished establishs a new dimension of how Latvian women can be "über" feminine being slightly "mannish".
Becarousell, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
It was time to PAOLA BALZANO;
Paola Balzano, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
"Paola Balzano is a high-end womenswear label founded in 2012 under creative direction of italian/taiwanese designer Paola Balzano"
These are the first words you can read on the designers Official WebPage, and a sort of enigmatic curiosity invades your mind.
We add, it is most likely that when you see Miss Balzano first, you cannot avoid to do it twice!
At the end of the show, we had two quotes:
One is that the label is extremely young and two, that there are pieces that are sincerely relevant.
Extremely young because there were moments when it felt too strong, too much and too dense, pieces that perhaps should not be selected for the catwalk in the first place, or to be in a Fall Collection, but a designer needs time to find its own path, to be able to separate things are right from things that look right, and to reject everything that is not in any of these two options.
Paola Balzano, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
We decide to review the collection according to the second option:
The relevant pieces, the ones we understand might tell a story, a story of less is more among the choices of the designer.
The made in Italy was present, the sharp tailored cuts, the quality of the fabrics, the details and how the clothe should be finished, these are all good points, strategic points, that allow us to think that Miss Balzano has the skills and the understanding that luxury is not about a label but a truly sensational experience, in each and every aspect of it.
Paola Balzano, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
Paola Balzano, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
MIss Balzano intention was to bring her own world, culture and believes, the purity of the italian cut and the explosion of color of Orient, creating silky rich colorful patterns or rethinking the Kimono sleeves with a wooly-mohair fabric.
The first step is already taken, an approval so far.
Building a name in the fashion industry is very much as a proper relation with a good perfume, a few drops are wonderful; more, not so good.
Paola Balzano, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
ONE WOLF was next in the schedule.
One Wolf, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
The urban shapes, the multi layering, the easiness and coolness urban "gowns" are pumping up in the industry a few seasons so far, and it seems that they are here to stay.
And One Wolf has discover a way to make them personal.
Quite relevant in the Baltic region, they already entered in the Belgium and in the Japanese market.
One Wolf, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
One Wolf, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
Agnese Narnicka, is the name behind the brand.
She develop a label which is a product result of a brainstorm incubator of a feminine urban sensibility with a crush on sportswear.
As it is common, menswear looks result a bit more stylish, contemporary, in one word, stronger.
The hand of Narnicka is felt here more artistic, injecting a bit of color here and there and adapting soft fabrics more associated with womenswear.
To create a more viril urban look, she played with proportions, oversizing the forms seeking a personal concept of, as example, a pure sweatshirt or a shirt meets Kaftan.
One Wolf, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
One Wolf, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
Despite the looks might result quite strong, One Wolf has crossed the line and find the right line between aesthetic and wearability.
Almost each and every piece is absolutely commercial, is very well done, and the price policy quite acceptable.
No wonder why, in the baltic region, as well as outside their borders, their customers, stockists or retailers keep increasing!
The last show of the day was in charge of NÓLÓ
Nóló, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
From a quick look to the press released of the brand, i remember they mentioned something about "slightly eccentric style"
We believe they were extremely modest about it.
"Dramatic Excess" might be more in the line.
There were no boundaries or barriers for this brand, more was ... better!
Nóló, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
Nóló, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
Feathers in the head, sleeves, shoulders and chest, faux-fur coats with long heavy embroidery dresses mixed up with sneakers, are some of the ideas that NóLó had in mind for the Latvian women, for the upcoming winter.
Contemporary or not, one thing is for sure, this NÓLÓ woman, will be one of the kind!
Nóló, FW14, @rigafashionweek #rfw20
Text by: Mr Norbert, Editor of TWISSST
Images courtesy of Riga Fashion Week by Marc Litvyakoff
We kindly thank LiveRiga for the support during Riga Fashion Week
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