(photos: Giovanni Giannoni)
For her RTW Fall 2013 collection, using pretty pictures + form, Mary Katrantzou once again, produces great looks with slight differences – this time, the images are of landscapes + bridges + there are black-on-black looks which should make those of us with an aversion to color super happy. To say ‘it’s all about the details’ where Katrantzou is concerned, is an understatement. I’ve always been amazed as to how Mary’s been able to use imagery as well as she has, and here, it’s quite evident, she’s a true master of such a skill. Some of the pieces showed scenes straight from Japanese screens, which explains the many nods to origami – from strapless tops adorned with cascading folds similar to that of a croissant to those attached to wispy chiffon + Mary’s own interpretation of a Japanese robe fashioned as a jacket, with an empire waist, complete with an obi. Then you had certain parts of a picture scene (the moon) strategically placed (row 3, look 3) on a shoulder, for example, appearing to look like ‘brooches’. Now, some other designers could easily take this concept literally but not this one. At times, a thick forest, served as a belt between two colors whereas, in other instances, there would be an image of a sunset (row 5, look 5) that could easily pass for a Gerard Richter painting, with colors melting into one another with just one brushstroke.
Now as much as I love color, the black-on-black looks totally killed it for me, especially as the black images were that of bridges – I mean, look at those lines…love, love, love – not to mention that first look in row 1!