●●●●○
Brown Thomas’ greatest strength is its ability to synthesise disparate trends from the international fashion industry into its own unique sartorial story. It has the rare opportunity to revoke the staleness from clothes that were shown internationally almost four months ago by refashioning them within a new context. In the lofty showroom of Level 2 of the department store, the latest curation of pieces amalgamate household names with emerging designers to unfurl this season’s exclusive narrative.
For Spring/Summer 2017, Brown Thomas proposed a vision of contemporary Romanticism. An idealised femininity updated by twists of modern techniques and textiles. Particularly noteworthy are Victoria Beckham’s impressively precise knitwear cut-outs, the undulating asymmetry of a classic skirt suit by Proenza Schouler and the rendering of a signature Dior bustier dress in quilted leather and tulle. Aesthetically each designer couldn’t be more different, but within this collection they were unified by their singular aim to reconsider archetypical feminine patterns for a more contemporary lifestyle.
The idea percolated down to casual daywear, which saw a concentrated effort to rewire the most basic of staple pieces: the shirt. For Balenciaga, it was a matter easily solved by deconstruction, slicing sleeves from the armpit to the cuff which devised an innovative cape detail. Similar tactics were employed by Jacquemus, a recent addition to Brown Thomas’ directory this season. The Paris-based label’s signature play with proportions subverted the structural qualities of the shirt by transforming it into a sporty dress – a far cry from its masculine, formal origins.
Admittedly, there were moments when Brown Thomas relied on clichéd notions of femininity, such as frills and florals, in order to express its idealistic vision. However, due to the wide breadth of its collection, it avoided falling too far into these sartorial tropes. The kinetic textiles of Dries Van Noten disrupted the lengthy procession of floral prints, while frills were reworked in dishevelled denim by Marques’ Almeida and, in classic J.W. Anderson fashion, were envisioned as strangely erotic elements.
Perhaps most surprising, was the inclusion of Vetements and Yeezy in this season’s predominantly feminine runway. Despite being firmly grounded in streetwear principles, neither brand skewed the dreamy mood of the show. Certainly, the pieces on display were the most subdued from their respective collections, but it was nonetheless intriguing to see a black denim suit by Vetements adopt a certain romantic nostalgia within the context of Brown Thomas’ narrative. Similarly, the simplification of athleisure forms and earthy palettes, now synonymous with Yeezy, helped define the tranquil mood of the show rather than deduct from it.
Yeezy was one of the few menswear brands on show this season, which made the mens component feel like an unnecessary footnote in this collection. However it should also be mentioned that within the collection’s large womenswear section, there was a glaring lack of diversity on the runway. This remains to be a contentious issue on an industry-wide level so it was disappointing to see such a myopic representation on the Irish catwalk. Brown Thomas possesses a uniquely influential platform in Irish fashion and thus has a certain responsibility to uphold. Its line up for Spring/Summer 2017 fails to represent the diversity of the Brown Thomas customer as eclectically as the clothing did.
While Brown Thomas isn’t setting out to revolutionise the fashion industry, it should at least be commended for it’s ability to coalesce a selection of womenswear and menswear from international designers and present it as an original collection, especially, one that is going to be palatable to the Irish customer. Sartorially this season was both cohesive and diverse, but most impressively it envisioned a romanticised fantasy as a tangible and contemporary aspiration.
Photographs courtesy of Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland
