(photos: Giovanni Giannoni)
For his RTW Fall 2013 collection comprised of black + white looks, Altuzarra took to certain Fall trends not going away anytime soon: lots of leather (real + faux), hybrid pieces (look 4, row 1: top of jacket looks like a trench, down to the sleeves but then cuts short at the breast plate, turning into a peacoat of sorts + look 1, row 2: where the jacket has leather sleeves), wearing a jacket over another (look 3, row1) and fur, with a twist. But it was the ‘corporate uniform’, of sorts, that really drove this collection. After working several corporate jobs myself, I always saw my ‘corporate uniform’ (i.e. a skirt suit) as being in ‘drag’, with either going ‘commando’ (not recommended) or painting my toes with green polish as a way to break free underneath. Yet, Altuzarra reverses this dilemma + exposes the woman for whom she truly is, without apology.
“In my mind, it was this idea of an office lobby with women [coming and going] — sort of like a corporate uniform.”
His looks all promise sex appeal, with impeccable construction + a tight fit, as if they were made-to-measure for each model. A for instance is the first look, one of my favorites – where colorblocking is used to emphasize the woman’s figure. Here, the Altuzarra adds flattery to a ‘possibly boring dress in the hands of another’, with a black leather corseted front panel, complete with a deep sweetheart neckline, that seamlessly nuzzles it’s way into the rest of the dress in white leather (designer Claude Montana definitely came to mind). The dress is then ‘softened’ by mink sleeves (similar to look 4, row2) which brings us to other fur accents or standout looks, with patchworked black + white fox fur in the shape of vests, coats, sleeves and huge fox mittens. Hemlines get blurred by chiffon panels under leather + front slits, showing off just enough skin. Then Altuzarra uses a technique where some padding is added to the hips of several dress constructions, which the designer says ‘gives you this super-flat stomach,’ so muffin tops, need not apply! In the end, you don’t need a conference room to be part of your everyday to enjoy this collection.
(via WWD)