#sitkasemsch

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Finale #SitkaSemsch fashion coreography at it's best @fertorrejonm

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moscow fashion week: sitka semsch

(images via intermoda)

the first time i encountered the work of the moscow-exhibiting, peruvian-based designer sitka semsch (Ситки Семш) during the f/w 2011 season, i really believed i had found a new love, particularly with all her deep autumnal colours, incorporation of lace, and layers.  but then, last season (s/s 2012), during her peruvian highlands-inspired show, i not only fell a little less in love with her aesthetic, but also her attitude (she said she essentially found that fashion and styles were the same everywhere.  seriously, how can anyone in this business say that?  i really think you're missing a crucial detail gene if you're going to try to sell that concept!). 

anyway, now comes ms. semsch's most recent work, for f/w 2012, and while i will say i liked it a bit better than what was on offer for spring, i'm still not quite convinced she will ever be the designer i once thought she'd the potential to be. as for the clothes, if some of the looks felt a little monotonous, it might be because she shifted, but essentially kept the same concept from spring as a holdover for the upcoming winter. 

according to the russian site pure trend, (trans.) "Sitka decided to share with us the beauty of the divine landscape of multicolored lakes and endless hills of the coast of Peru."  they also went on to note that range materials included wool, taffeta, silk, metallics, and tulle with plenty of sequins and sparkle, alongside the designer's signature texture interplay. 

"shiny textures, transparent capes, prints and gold," (trans.) was the way the poison magazine chose to sum the show up, while both of the russian sites intermoda and yandex wanted to inform us that, in the words of the former (trans.) "Peruvian national patterns embodied in rectangular prints" ran strongly throughout the exhibition. 

in the end, i think ms. semsch was at her most successful when she didn't try to get her girls too fancified--the dresses sometimes came off as looking a bit school dance-esque and maybe even a little cheap, while some of the day looks actually worked a bit nicer--like the taupe, ruffled cowl-necked blouse paired with the metallic golden capri pants (at top), or some of the simpler frocks (as below) with less bling.  these items felt appropriate for the older girls as well as those still in their teens (which was where some of the sparklier items appeared headed). 

and so...what of the designer?  obviously, she has it in her to totally charm me, and i think she could easily do it again.  perhaps the problem is that a year or so ago, she was actually trying out different concepts and now she's mostly appropriating costumes from her home country.  maybe the difference in distance of perspective is part of the problem, or maybe it's just that she needs a fresh idea.  whatever, i'm sure many people will be drawn in, as were a couple of the reviewers i've cited above--maybe it's just a perspective thing.  yes, that's probably it.  that, and in this 'global world' she claims we have, i'd like to see her shaking things up a bit.  isn't that what designers are supposed to do, after all? (see additional show images at yandex)

(watch the full fashion show video here)

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russian fashion week: sitka semsch

(images via intermoda)

back during the a/w 2011 season, i was rather charmed by the peruvian designer (who, as intermoda puts it, seems to prefer to exhibit in moscow) sitka semsch's work, but for her s/s 2012 range, i was a bit disappointed to see the sort of artsy-crafty/bedraggled textured and layered look being lost in favour of something more distinctly costume-y, that which reminded me rather of channeling a distinct 'ethnic' flavour (and it isn't so much the ethnic approach that i mind, but rather i feel here ms. semsch is offering a caricature-ized version of such).  that and the fact that she announced in an interview with russian site look at me she doesn't notice aesthetic differences between the girls in russia and peru, because fashion is 'globalized' or some such nonsense.  you know whenever people say that they're at least vaguely suspect. 

but i'm ranting.  i know, it's rather difficult for me to put my finger on just what the problem was--maybe that we'd seen something a bit similar at the mark greiner s/s 2012 show--but all the sudden i felt we were less looking at an intricately crafted collection, and more that we were simply witnessing a bunch of popular trends shuffled together (as at forever 21) for cute girls to wear.  and the feeling pervaded throughout.  but anyway, as for theme, the designer told the russian site woman that (trans.) "(t)his season, I was inspired by a woman from the highlands of my homeland, Peru" (and maybe i'm a little vexed, too, that after such a good last season it didn't this time go any deeper than that).  anyway, she went on to stress the import of natural materials, with factorglam pointing out that the range materials included chiffon, peruvian pima cotton, silk, linen, and taffeta, with a peruvian goldsmith handcrafting the accessories out of copper, steel, and bronze. 

drab earthy tones, including a slew of browns, pistachio, mauve, pinky flesh tone, taupe, gray, and beige played against bold gold, silver, and coppery metallics, as well as stripes, animal prints (leopard spots, zebra stripes, and what looked like snakeskin), and some classic black and white with occasional brighter spots of aquamarine.  the clothes themselves sometimes took on a slightly western bent, featuring a bold belt buckle prominently displayed in most outfits (while almost every girl without exception sported a long braid and one of those little chocolate toppers), while layers abounded and plenty of evening gowns dragged to the floor amidst off-the-shoulder slouchy day frocks, be-jacketed casual loose trouser looks, and simple top/skirt combos.  to this fashion concert raved that (trans.) "this style is perfect for fashionistas who are prone to bohemian and hippie-chic style," and maybe they're right.  at any rate, someone liked it, so maybe i stand alone. 

on another note, peruvian site rpp reported that some of the event's proceeds go to a multiple sclerosis charity, an effort that undoubtedly deserves a shout-out.  but in the end, i suppose my biggest problem is just that which i've encountered with other designers along the way: that is, creating a range which feels to be courting a distinctly different customer from the one they were only a season ago.  maybe some would argue with me here, but for fall, ms. semsch seemed after an artisan who liked the rough-hewn polished look, though to be sure, it wouldn't have been so difficult to take most of those exits up to a more conservative and exquisite place.  however, spring's girl seems all about announcing her multicultural appeal, and less than thinking about how she can convert her outfits to various situations, she seems to demand that they alter for her.  there just wasn't much variety in these many, many exits, or ways to take these pieces to one's own look, one's own wardrobe.  and that seems a bit dull, especially given her stance on how 'globalized' fashion is.  or maybe that's the problem in itself.  she thinks all girls ought look the same (see additional images at ria moda & moda).

(watch the runway video here)

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moscow fashion week: sitka semsch

(images via intermoda)

unfortunately designer sitka semsch's personal webpage has been suspended, so we have little information to go on besides what russian blog intermoda has to say about her; in brief, she hails from peru and worked for michael kors some time before launching her namesake line. 

the designer's impressive fall 2011 display worked heavily with layers and texture, giving us a girl that resembled something of a glamorous peasant from some bygone era, the type we like to romanticize to such degree we never really see the hard work, dirty faces, torn clothing, or scores of little conveniences well-known to us not yet discovered.

but no matter, it wasn't ridiculous as, say vuitton's display, and there's nothing to suggest this girl was inspired by anything more than slight ethnic inflections, rather than what would turn into a gross parody of the working under-class.  

indeed, intermoda notes there were ethnic-meets-urban influences here, with most skirts midi or ankle-length and plenty of trousers and capri pants made for a stylish display favourable to the more conservative girl.  the palette was dark and autumnal, with materials including leather, chiffon, silk, and plenty of soft knits. 

i've lately been impressed with the russian exhibitors' ability to address high-end fashion as it pertains to more mature women (you know, the ones with cash enough to actually acquire the stuff--yes, we know young celebs dress in it, but do they pay for it themselves?), and ms. semsch's range is no exception; certainly many of the pieces would appearing charming on a wide variety of ladies, including those into their much older years. 

perhaps the only drawback to the range, then, is that i was left longing for a few slightly more polished looks, with less individual pieces to them.  yes, i liked them all very much, but...could there have been a simple dress or jacket/trousers exit not teeming with accessories?  but that's a slight complaint in the face of things, and overall it was just lovely--a fairy tale worth hearing in these days of so much dripping plasticity and fake romance. 

updated: with new images