Ann-Sofie Back Atelje S/S 11 London

[Scott]

this is ann-sofie's new line which is more of an elegant side to ann-sofie's quirky taste.

Day three of London Fashion Week opened with Swedish designer Ann-Sofie Back, who showed an intimate salon presentation of her new Atelje collection this morning at Somerset House.

Billed as a smaller collection for a mature and sophisticated clientele, there was all of the intelligence and imagination of Back’s previous collections, with an added elegance and romance.

According to Back, the twelve piece capsule was inspired by p*rn – by the way it reduces the body to generic blandness. Therefore the pieces were stark in either black or white, cut away, draped, twisted and peekaboo in a way that focussed on fabric rather than flesh.

A White silk halterneck dress that swept the floor with a long trail was a highlight, as was an asymmetrical White organza skirt, worn with black trousers and a jumper. Pieces were weighted and nipped with silver metal embellishments by way of teardrop weights, which created drapery, and pseudo bike clips around ankles and waists, which created shape.

It was a sophisticated and smart collection from a designer who proves herself every season. I’m looking forward to it hitting the shops.

*blogs.independent.co.uk

there's also a report at http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/show.aspx/full-length-photos/id,9369

unfortunately i cannot save those images so easily.

 

[Scott]

here's some more from *rodeo.net

 

[Scott]

i love it. it's really nice change up for ann-sofie.

btw,this was also in celebration of her 10th anniversary. so many congrats!!

 

[MulletProof]

I like how it is very much the same girl she designs for, but with a tighter, more demanding agenda.

And congrats for her 10th anniversary!. (and thanks for sharing, Scott!)

 

[LoraV]

I LOVE this! Shoes and accessories are beautiful! Omg i want those shoes! And the sunglasses! Very cool!
Collection is simple and lovely, and i love the details makes it so special & different!

 

[Scott]

i'll tell you,with the void that's been left,it really makes one appreciate,respect and admire not just the kind of work ann-sofie does but also the principles she never compromises and just her entire approach to design. it's not margiela,but for me is the embodiment of what margiela was always attempting to accomplish. the way he always tried to find soul even in the most grotesque and mundane.

 

[Tentacl Ventricl]

Thanks for posting the images and articles Scott.

I'm never quite sure whether Ann-Sofie is receivedperceived as an avant garde designer or not but it's how I see her and clearly in drawing a parallel with Margiela that's your sense of her too.

Having viewed the collection images previously I'd picked up that, for me, the metal inserts into the circular cut-outs evoke female genital piercing.

I was interested to read that Ann-Sofie's stepping off point this season was p*rn. (The inspiration for her AW10/11 was in related territory). I'm seeing that elsewhere also there's a design methodology currently where one takes one's starting point then forces it to confront it's own truths by juxtaposing it with it's polar opposite, it's otherness.

Ann-Sofie did that here by taking p*rn and facing it up to elegance. What we actually arrive at in the garments is a delightful sensuality. Back has taken her metalicised holes and redistributed them onto other parts of the fashioned body and so the work speaks to the multifarious nature of erogenous zones on the female body. There's something about a circular aperture on a garment that immediately draws one's eye to it. It's interesting that she hasn't, for the main part, sited her holes at recognised erogenous zones. It's as if she seeks to erogenise new parts of the female body principally - the Back.

I was also interested in the piece with the metal (mercury like) 'teardrops' cascading down the back. They of course have a liquid quality, take the form of droplets. I think where my being drawn to 'name' these 'teardrops' comes from is the association picked up by the form in the labeling of the popular 70's (I think) earing shape. But of course an oozing liquid doesn't necessarily have to evoke the sadness of a tear nor necessarily emanate from the eye.

Just as we saw a concern with liquid wetness elsewhere this season, also I see a 'force things to confront their polar opposite' aspect running through the avant garde in embracing a higher degree of wearability and in facing up 'the commercial' opposite world.

Ann-Sofie's work this season is both conceptually driven but also eminently wearable so I hope she does well both in terms of plaudits and sales. It shouldn't have to be one or the other it really shouldn't.

 

[Scott]

well you know ann demeulemeester once(and has shown in doses,since)presented a collection which was draped in such a way that it emphasised the back. she even stated quite boldly that she felt the back was the most erogenous zone.

i can't say that it necessarily explicitly correlates with ann-sofie's concept here but what you say and in seeing the two,comparatively,in my head....there's a level of feminism in what they were and are representing.

 

[apriliciate]

the shoes and the eye glasses are amazed me.. but the outfits is just whatever! wth with that big hole on the back???

 

[TianSoFine]

This is very lovely. The pieces are simple with a special touch. From what I can see, this embodies the new level of elegance that they're aiming for and they hit the right mark, but still stays true to the brand. I like it, I really like it.