TRANSLATION | Eugenia Yang
LOEWE 創意總監 Jonathan Anderson 說道：「這是一個實驗的時刻，如果要在疫情後重新設定一切，那麼我們需要一個時刻來誕生新的美學。」這句話同時也帶給我們反思，若是說這幾年因疫情而打亂人類的腳步的歷經稱作苦難，那麼這幾年於藝術則稱之為「時間被偷走的那些年」，一段平行時間軸的抽離，一段不接在軌道上能夠做夢的奇幻冒險。然而後疫情時代銜接上的是具體與現實，品牌似乎也在找尋一個理想、翻轉刻板、刺激與創新。
重生
西班牙奢侈品牌 LOEWE 與意大利老牌時裝屋 Bottega Veneta 最近給了編者相同的感受，那就是在品牌傳承的固有印象中翻轉審美，種種跡象證明了創意總監正在積極地增強創意表現力。在那些看似兩極、荒誕與詼諧的設計下，目的就是為了誕生新的美學概念。LOEWE 創意總監 Jonathan Anderson 在2022春夏系列時裝秀將抽象表現力發揮的淋漓盡致，在商業化時代下還能夠以藝術創造力與表現力揮灑時裝週，眾人也許都心想「實在勇氣可嘉」，如同與吉卜力神隱少女的聯名系列，一顆極大湯婆婆頭像直接印在了編織手袋上，唯妙唯肖的立體戒指與耳環讓人會心一笑，甚至是一顆完整的小煤炭包款、立體小煤炭針織衫，都令我們對於 LOEWE 固有印象中的極簡優雅產生認知偏差，趣味似乎也可以與優雅劃上等號。展現色彩權威的 Bottega Veneta 除了以自己的獨到美學建立起一套極具辨識度的獨特語系，三角形標誌、綠色、電波藍、亮橘，擁抱著藝術家性格與堅持己見的思路，看見的是反骨與創新。
顛覆
誰說一定要四四方方，形狀就該由你作主。
新的一年有新的理想、新的變化，在人氣包款上形狀自如就是後疫情時代下打破規則的最佳註解，不再是一成不變的傳統方正、尺寸保守，有趣打破了僵局，如同 PRADA 聯合創意總監 Miuccia Prada 與 Raf Simons 於2022春夏女裝系列中，探索根本，並將固有的既定印象透過層層服裝的逐步褪去，其中顛覆束身衣骨和胸衣曲線的想像，拖地的晚禮服取而代之是片狀拖尾裙襬，那些駁回傳統的限制本質，重新考量、思索、揭露，最後重生新性感，成為新的女性形象。在思辨的過程當中，反思包款上的意義和存在，曾經的實用性行囊、包裝與方便性如今也擁有了新的角色，是舒適手感，或是搭配小物，是裝可愛還是畫龍點睛，各式各樣的趣味不急著貼上標籤，而是自由玩味屬於它的獨特。
王牌
節慶感總是讓人欣喜若狂，為慶祝2022年2月1日踏入壬寅虎年，品牌推出眾多虎年商品，為交出漂亮的命題作文，融合傳統與現代，每一種創新都值得細細品味。GUCCI 以幻變無窮的設計演繹創意總監 Alessandro Michele 鍾愛的老虎圖騰，以粉嫩繽紛的嬌花嫩草映襯老虎圖案，並把開創品牌經典Flora圖案的藝術家兼插畫家Vittorio Accornero 發表於 1960 年代末的典藏設計革新。這種以充滿玩味的手法連繫過去與未來，「時間」就是永不枯竭的靈感之泉，不只意味著新年的到來，更是一場時空對話。
BALENCIAGA 巧妙的展現新春佳節與家人團聚的歡樂與喜悅，中國新年不是既有印象中的形體和印象，而是深刻表達出了與家人團聚般的趣味性。BALENCIAGA邀請藝術家Pablo Rochat 和攝影師Chris Maggio共同執導全新創意廣告大片，成對的模特身著新春虎年系列單品以特定姿勢營造出視錯覺效果，從某個角度看似同一人，BALENCIAGA 以氛圍感擄獲了眾人，在亮色系的包款與「虎虎生風」的虎紋紋路配件單品下，看到的是打破思維且和諧融入了 BALENCIAGA 品牌的血液，看似不刻意卻又別有用心 ; BURBERRY典藏性 Lola 包款推出橙色虎紋動物印花圖案款式 ; VALENTINO TIGER 1967中國新年限定系列靈感源自1967年VALENTINO標誌性虎紋印花，將品牌歷史圖庫中的經典虎紋印花在配件單品中，譜寫出對威武勇猛的新年生肖的頌歌。
“I think it’s a moment of experimentation. If you’re going to reset after this period, you need to allow a moment to birth a new aesthetic,” said LOEWE creative director Jonathan Anderson. His statement poses as a moment of reflection for us: if these past few years are viewed as a time of suffering because of the pandemic, then for art it has become a period where time was stolen, creating a parallel universe in which we can dream freely with no restraints. However, in truth, after the pandemic, reality arrives, which is why brands are now searching for ideas where stereotypes are inverted and innovation is created.
Rebirth
Spanish luxury brand LOEWE and Italian luxury fashion house Bottega Veneta have been doing the exact same thing. As they play around with aesthetics while still maintaining their brand heritage, creative directors are also actively enhancing their creativity. Underneath those seemingly absurd and extreme designs, a brand new aesthetic concept has been reborn. In the LOEWE SS22 collection, we see Anderson bringing his abstract expression to its extreme. In this era of commercialization, many might view his new capsule as an act of bravery. Collaborating with Studio Ghibli, Anderson’s latest Spirited Away capsule collection features iconic characters from the movie—a canvas tote bag with embroidery featuring Yubaba and finished with metal embellishments, puzzle bags and wool cardigans adorned with the adorable Susuwatari. Each piece creates this feeling of cognitive distortion, making us wonder perhaps it is possible to equate fun and elegance. Meanwhile, an expert in colors, Bottega Veneta established a distinctive language of colors. From the triangular logo, Bottega green, blaster blue to light orange, the fashion house embraces its artistic personality and confident persistence, showcasing its dedication to break conventions with innovative approaches.
Subversion
Who says we have to be rigid? The shapes should be up to you.
The new year is all about new ideals and new changes. Reimagining the shapes of popular handbags is the best example of breaking the boundaries. These models are no longer the usual rigid square shapes as fun dismantles conservative designs. Co-designed by Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, the PRADA SS22 womenswear collection explores the basics by reducing garments to their simplest form. Our imagination towards corsetry is subverted, while evening gowns are replaced by a sliced above the knee with a bow in back extended to the floor. Each piece is redesigned and stripped down to reveal this new sexy, a birth of a brand new femininity. In the same process, the existence of bags is also reinterpreted. Once considered as a practical necessity, the models are now given a new role. Playing around with comfort and cuteness, these pieces are also stripped of labels and acquiring a new found freedom and uniqueness that cannot be found elsewhere.
Ace Card
The sense of festivity is always ecstatic. To celebrate entering the Year of the Tiger on February 1st, 2022, many fashion brands have launched products for the Lunar New Year. Combining traditions and modernity, each innovative design is worthy to savor and enjoy. Drawing inspiration from creative director Alessandro Michele’s beloved tiger totem, GUCCI combines the tiger pattern with colorful drawings of nature, while reinterpreting the 1960s archival Flora design by artist Vittorio Accornero in a pastel palette. Carefully linking the past and present, “time” becomes an unending source of inspiration that not only symbolizes the arrival of a new year, but also opens up a conversation between different eras of time.
Cleverly capturing the joy of family reunions during Chinese New Year, BALENCIAGA’s Year of the Tiger collection distinctively expresses the fun of these gatherings. The luxury fashion house launches a series of blockbusters created by artist Pablo Rochat and photographer Chris Maggio that plays around with visual dislocation, making the models appear to be like the same person when they are not. Channeling the same humorous and pleasant ambiance, the collection also offers a series of bags and accessories that all comes in bright colors and tiger motifs, a harmonious blend between the brand DNA and novelty designs. Other lunar new year-inspired creations include BURBERRY’s iconic Tiger Striped Lola Bag and the Valentino Tiger 1967 collection, which is the Italian Maison’s tribute to the mighty beast and a celebration of the animal’s Chinese heritage.
