How appropriate that Off-White‘s Founder and Creative Director, Virgil Abloh, will be making a special personal appearance at Saks Fifth Avenue, Chicago on Thursday, October 5th with his Fall 2017 Men’s and Women’s Collections. He has just shown his Spring 2018 Collection, an ode to Princess Diana, in Paris.  Be among the first to shop the exclusive capsule collection, “SHOCK WAVES” and experience “LAST DANCE” the new visual installation designed by Virgil Abloh himself.  This is the first-ever PA with Virgil Abloh among Saks Fifth Avenue’s fleet of locations.  The event will be from 6 to 7 and is open to the public!!!!  WOW!! Be sure this is on your calendar for a special go-to event.

Now let’s take a look at what Off-White looks like for Spring 2018.

Continuing a theme we are seeing. particularly in the Paris shows, the emphasis on the shoulder.  And, of course, black and white.

More bold shoulder and denim, of course.

One of the colors for Spring 2018, bold pink paired with silvery tulle.

The glamour of black with two of the hot accessories we are seeing in all collections, gloves and interesting shoes….

Obviously black and white but more importantly another trend the romantic “prom dress”.

The Finale

Virgil Abloh with Naomi Campbell who ended the show.

Two designers who are always on the cutting edge of fashion….Rick Owens and John Galliano for Maison Margiela.  Both always intrigue us with their vision and forward-thinking creativity.  To me, it is like art you either like it or you don’t that is the challenge of interpreting fashion and the question, to my mind’s eye, remains do we need to demystify it at all!  In my opinion, and that is the only one I can give you, is there are ideas to take away from each of the collections we see each season.

Rick Owens has a very special aesthetic, for Spring 2018 you will see a continuing of his manipulation of fabric to form the garments, truly ingenious.

In John Galliano’s hands, Maison Margiela has become even more modern and for spring 2018 he showed many variations on the trench coat along with other trends.

A fantastically creative collection with so much to inspire us.

The Kenzo look has evolved over the years but it hasn’t lost its Asian tradition.

Prints…always!

Kimono-inspired denim, love this!

Interesting article, The Design Companies Conquering New Ground, in last Sunday’s New York Times T Magazine.  One of the furniture companies featured was Roche Bobois, and the founder of Kenzo, Kenzo Takada, is designing a new collection for this established French line.  When he left his namesake company (and yes, I did work with him back in the day, actually I did a nenasnotes post on that experience) he became a super fine artist, his paintings are fabulous.  The next step for him was to do fabrics to cover some of the companies iconic furniture pieces.  He, of course, looked to the kimono for inspiration for the fabrics and a selection of pottery.

Kenzo Takada in his Paris apartment T Magazine photo by Bea De Giacomo

Balmain Spring 2018 by Olivier Rousteing, the stage for the show at the baroque Opera Garnier.

A few of the 82-look collection worn by Rousteing’s supermodel friends and not a Kardashian or Jenner in sight!

 

All photos from Pinterest credits unknown unless otherwise noted.