Here is a designer who is not afraid to experiment. He seems to have a particular penchant to mismatch different references in every item of clothing. Thus, a juxtaposition of elements and patterns from different decades of fashion can be seen in his works. The same holds good when it comes to his knitwear and trousers too. The knitwear along with its with chiffon tops and dresses which are multi-fabricated seems to have become his trademark pieces. With the combination of complex styles such as the floral, the geometric, cashmere and 3D, each dress seems to be made as a collage of clashing textures, colors, fabric weights and cut.
The designer
Michael van der Ham who hails from Netherlands.
The ramp walk
The London Catwalk as part of the London Fashion Week.
The knitwear look
Mixing the floral motifs with the panels of Lurex in perfect geometric shapes, Michael van der Ham has literally knitted up a clothes storm! The knitwear parade was overwhelmingly refreshing and it sure showed a lot of inspiration and courage to make bold moves. The designer stepped away from comfort zone when he made something different from the usual and regular silk collage dresses. The Pre-Fall collection derives its inspiration from boldly patterned clothing that is a feature of the Peruvian lifestyle.
Opening the account are a number of dresses which feature crushed velvet in lime, pink, turquoise and red. Along with the silky wide leg trousers, matching velvet tops make their appearance. The knitwear however are the cynosure of all the eyes as the Pre-Fall collection grows trendier. Fringe trousers in metallic pink stand out in their uniqueness while similar fringing is also seen decorating the black bags. Shoes became large platforms in suede and they seemed to resonate with the ones worn by the members of the audience.
A Grecian influence could also be seen with the draped silk dresses in purple, navy and grey. The spiral cuts, flattering shapes and interesting details on the knitwear make them really stand apart as a class.
Would this spark off a trend?
Native American inspired, Proenza Schouler's sweaters and trousers simply make you forget the school jumper greys and the neutral cashmeres. These knits make great dresses to wear by the day, Their variety is such that they can be worn in the country and in the city too. Wherever and whenever they are worn, one thing is for sure - these knits were not meant to sit simply in your wardrobe, biding their time for a cold or wet day. They make a bold and strong fashion statement.
One among the intarsia crew neck sweaters, Jonathan Saunders style, is neat and good enough for a boardroom when it is teamed with a well-cut, pencil skirt and a nice pair of court shoes to go along. Similarly, wearing an oversized chunky knit ensures a wonderful silhouette over skinny leather trousers and a pair of biker boots. Again, you could have a woolen blend sweater that has a chunky jacquard knit on you anytime. Each makes a fashion statement and makes it in great style.
What stands out in the knitwear's look is the texture and built-in contrast. This only gets better as you mix up the clothing. It allows for great layering in the clothes. Chunky scarves and clash jumpers fit well along gloves that are fingerless. Add to this an over-the-knee sock with a pop of color that is peeping out from your knee high boots. The style is simply too cool.
And that is the answer. Knitwear, meant to keep you warm surely warms your heart but has just gotten cool! It will definitely spark a trend and everyone would try to jump into the bandwagon.
The StyleGuru verdict
Pre-Fall collections are often viewed as money spinners and thus often are filled with basics that are no-brainers. But these knitwear and trousers do not cease to arouse wonder and admiration. Exploring new silhouettes and new techniques, the whole collection seems to have pulled trumps. Knitwear is an entirely new territory for the designer. And that can be easily made out from the alpaca shorts which are in a Guatemalan stripe, which could best be left behind in the desert. But that and a few exceptions apart, the knitwear is exceptional. This is a standout collection that will well suit Proenza’s city girls. A hit! No doubt about that!
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