Josephine Bergqvist and Livia Schück returned to the Milan show this fall and expanded on what they call their “high-end remake” approach to fashion. Working with limited materials, vintage and deadstock, these Swedish designers have developed methods of taking things apart and reconfiguring them in a sort of puzzle way. This season they had been thinking about writer/philosopher Mark Fisher’s take on the concept of “hauntology” — about “how it is becoming increasingly difficult to imagine a future free of the past,” Schück said during a phone call — and to think about how this relates to their practice of ‘bringing old things together… but turning them into something new, but that will always haunt [by the past/nostalgia]’ and find ways to expand their techniques in a way that lets some air in.
They did this by separating pieces of fabric with strips of pure organza (look 21) or hanging them on them (look 37). Mesh was used in a similar way. The skirt in the second look is essentially a sheer panel framed at the bottom with a band of kilt pleats and at the waist with three scissor-applied layers of plaid. “It’s almost like we want it to feel like it’s basically broken down into nothing,” Schück said. “And we want to embrace the contrast between this quite raw and quite heavy or dry material and something else; and maybe also show a little more skin,” Bergqvist added. The effect here was blunted by the choice to wear the mostly sheer skirt over scruffy raw-edged leggings, made with donated materials from the designers’ compatriots at Happy Socks. Look 28, an asymmetrical satin and lace slip dress, worn with patched plaid leggings, struck the right balance.
The choice to showcase the collection on street models of different ages and shapes was a smart choice that showed how wearable Rave Review clothing can be. The designers’ interpretation of the season’s asymmetrical seam mini, in denim and paired with an animal print faux fur top, was perfect, and there were several reversible outerwear options, including a duvet coat with a weatherproof lining. At first glance, this collection looked familiar, but the winds of change blew through those translucent panels. There are many opportunities to explore this idea further. Lightening and sleekening the collection could take it in a more ‘mature’ direction without sacrificing sexiness or fun, as evidenced by looks 23 and 24, which incorporated drawstrings to create a light (airy) bubble effect create and maintain the look. hallmarks of the brand with a sleeker, fresher silhouette.
