From the U.S. presidential inauguration to our apparent new age of post-truth and alternative facts, it's been a month in which we all have asked, 'is this real life?' In today's Vetements, show, Demna Gvasalia and crew showed a different picture of realism with a collection called Stereotypes. 'It was hyper-reality,' says ELLE fashion director Anne-Marie Curtis. 'It was like they took every single piece from an ordinary outfit, and made it extraordinary. They Vetements-ed it.' Here, the key takeaways from the show.
They played to type
At most runway shows, guests receive notes outlining the models who walked the runway and a list of pieces they wore. Vetements' twist on this was a list of character types: the police woman, the pensioner, the punk, the vagabond, and more. 'It was like the cast of a Vetements movie on one hand, and a snapshot of real actual people on the other,' Curtis says. The show invitations, which were mock IDs, added to the intrigue.
The cast took runway diversity to a new level
For years, Demna Gvasalia was criticised for his overwhelmingly homogenous (read: white and young) casts. This season's was the opposite. There were silver-haired ladies and gents of a certain (over 60) age, spiky haired punks, and a bespectacled secretary (portrayed by Lotta Volkova.)
Rhadika Nair, who last season made headlines as the first Indian model to walk in a Balenciaga show, also made an appearance. 'They were literally in all shapes and sizes, which sent a positive message. This was a real take on inclusivity,' Curtis says.
Corduroy is back
The fabric was trending during the men's show season, but Vetements just made it's comeback official.
Is Ikea the new DHL?
Judging by the looks of Demna's jacket backstage. We think so.
