Helmut Lang S/S 2018 New York

[Phuel]

If the cast is all you notice… sure— he’s put on a decent presentation. But a show is over and forgotten in 15min, while the pieces have to endure. Because unless I also get that hot guy in the tacky crisscross bondage bodysuit giving me puppy eyes when I buy something from this offering (who is he BTW???), there’s absolutely nothing that can’t be had at any given trendy junior label— or cobbled together via DIY. There’s not a hint of the subversive, ingenious tailoring or thoughtful construction that defines OG Helmut.

This guy does what he does and it’s a matter of preference of course— although, he’s clearly very limited as a designer. More of a tacky stylist with a lot of hype in his CV. Fair enough if you’re the type that buys into hype. Him at Helmut is like Jeremy Scott at Comme. Just way out of his capabilities.

(Mullet, you have no idea how close you’ve hit home with your post…)

 

[RedSmokeRise]

If the cast is all you notice… sure— he’s put on a decent presentation. But a show is over and forgotten in 15min, while the pieces have to endure. Because unless I also get that hot guy in the tacky crisscross bondage bodysuit giving me puppy eyes when I buy something from this offering (who is he BTW???), there’s absolutely nothing that can’t be had at any given trendy junior label— or cobbled together via DIY. There’s not a hint of the subversive, ingenious tailoring or thoughtful construction that defines OG Helmut.

This guy does what he does and it’s a matter of preference of course— although, he’s clearly very limited as a designer. More of a tacky stylist with a lot of hype in his CV. Fair enough if you’re the type that buys into hype. Him at Helmut is like Jeremy Scott at Comme. Just way out of his capabilities.

(Mullet, you have no idea how close you’ve hit home with your post…)

Pretty sure that's a gay p*rn star LOL. (err I guess sexual artist these days)

I knew putting Shayne at Helmut would result in a total trainwreck! Just browsing those tumblr blogs posting Helmut Lang's old shows would be a more inspiring experience than this relaunch / revival / whatever.

 

[AnaD]

This is sad. It's such a flippant mockery of the original aesthetic, and it's so badly executed that it looks like a terrible joke.

 

[gossiping]

wow .. not into it at all..too much

 

[YohjiAddict]

The first few all-black looks weren't thaaat bad, maybe not Helmut good but not total trash like the rest of the collection, I even found the shoes appealing although they could use some work. The pink parka at the end caught my eye on the thumbnail but up close it looks so poorly tailored, Chitose Abe would have the laugh of her lifetime if she saw how he failed pathetically with those draped pieces, she's so good at doing femenine sportswear I sometimes forget how hard it must be to come up with those pieces, Shayne's here to remind me.

The menswear and the eveningwear feel so rushed and pointless, the latter looks so filmsy and trashy, like something a fashion student would come up with so one of his girlfriends had something to wear to the club.

...I can only wonder what was he thinking when he put that harness on the runway, so cheap looking and plain tacky.

 

[readings]

This is such a poorly executed, overly referenced and caricatural show that clearly feeds more on what's popular on Instagram these days then Helmut Lang's true vision.
Considering how poor the quality of HL's garments have become these last years I don't even want to think about how badly these clothes must made...

This is so symptomatic of what's going on in fashion these days: the only thing that matters is how loud the clothes and the show are, and how big an effect a brand can make. So superficial and tacky.
What about a real vision, a philosophy, some talent, the cut of the clothes, their quality, their longevity...?

 

[Spike413]

This collection actually infuriates me. Like...wow. It's self-indulgent, way too self-referential and completely ignores about 85% of what made Helmut Lang Helmut Lang, chiefly the ability to wear everything without looking ridiculous.

I immediately got the references to FW 2000, SS 2001 and FW 2001 but I also see SS 2004 -- the colorful, cutout-laden, layered collection. For my money that was probably the most difficult of Helmut's collections, if only because the clothes were so specific and (for him anyway) pretty far removed from practicality. And yet, for all of the folds and cutouts and flaps and frills in that collection, it STILL had a sense of control and refinement that made it seem believable as clothing that someone somewhere would want to wear and look really cool in. This collection is channeling some of that, but it just serves to highlight how uncontrolled and unrefined Oliver's skills are.

This collection is f***ing blasphemous.

 

[Mutterlein]

I've seen the collection in the showroom well in advance of the show.

Shayne is not a bad designer, but he's not surrounding himself with the right team to help make the right creative decisions. Some bad judgement calls in the studio derailed what could have been a good show. The styling and the casting really destroyed it

If it had been styled in a different way, casted in a different way, in a different setting, I think we would have a very different perception.

It's a shame because I was rooting for him. It's a wasted opportunity to show that he had grown. But maybe, ultimately, he hasn't.

*sigh*

A new designer will be doing the next season. So that's good news.

 

[runner]

if they were really serious and interested in the future world of fashion that is not about mere business wars of vanity, I'd let them know probably the only person who is able to do HL is carol christian poell.
while there are other talented skillful designers, it has to be someone who grasps a certain sense of bodihood (which may be something vernacular).

 

[softgrey]

It infuriated me too, Spike.

CCP makes sense- especially for menswear.
Do you think he would do it runner?

 

[runner]

I think it would not be impossible. but if they change.
actually ccp, as ccp, worked for someone else, for example, mandarina duck etc.
also, on a bit different note, when he just started ccp, he was already well-known by certain industry people because he had been behind some designers/brands (german, italian, and austrian ones) and like their secret weapon.

 

[ultramarine]

Whoa! You really really really REALLY hated it!

I agree with the fact that Helmut is gone ... but, errm .. Helmut IS gone ... for good.

Now Shayne is doing what he wants and he clearly did with the collection. I got pretty much what I expected and I dont find it SO atrocious because, to me, Id rather see a point of view that the bland basics the label has been churning season after season in recent years ...