Helmut Lang, 1988 to 1997

[Maayan]

My archives

 

[Lola701]

^^
Thanks for the posting @Maayan
I’ve always wonder what prompted him to go radical…

FW1988 was already more radical than this.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ Interesting you feel he became radical once he found his stride. I don’t see radical at all, just a designer who finally fell into his own stride. You see this with many of the Greats-- from designers to photographers: Their early work is nothing special-- competent, but nothing exceptional. But with time and experience, they simply evolve into their own.

Looking at these 80s collections, the designs are very typical, nondescript fashions of the time; very much if Montana-meets-Yohji had a diffusion line. Frankly, I don’t like it and shows he had not found his identity yet. But something sparked his creative process by 1993, and that magical alchemy of proper tailoring meets that restrained punk attitude came together so harmoniously. It’s the same with Prada pre-1994, looking typically Norma Kamali/Alberta Ferretti with the coquettish A-lines and dresscoats, when her designs were very much a polite but well-crafted Italian brand in soft neutrals, then to suddenly manifested into a strongly, directional 60s refined nerdwear with its geek chic signature, but without the look and feel of a caricature nor costumes— like Helmut’s punk was never the cliched version.

 

[Lola701]

^^^ Interesting you feel he became radical once he found his stride. I don’t see radical at all, just a designer who finally fell into his own stride. You see this with many of the Greats-- from designers to photographers: Their early work is nothing special-- competent, but nothing exceptional. But with time and experience, they simply evolve into their own.

Looking at these 80s collections, the designs are very typical, nondescript fashions of the time; very much if Montana-meets-Yohji had a diffusion line. Frankly, I don’t like it and shows he had not found his identity yet. But something sparked his creative process by 1993, and that magical alchemy of proper tailoring meets that restrained punk attitude came together so harmoniously. It’s the same with Prada pre-1994, looking typically Norma Kamali/Alberta Ferretti with the coquettish A-lines and dresscoats, when her designs were very much a polite but well-crafted Italian brand in soft neutrals, then to suddenly manifested into a strongly, directional 60s refined nerdwear with its geek chic signature, but without the look and feel of a caricature nor costumes— like Helmut’s punk was never the cliched version.

For me there’s a real difference already with the collections shown on the elevated runway to the ones showed on the floor-runway.
Even if we look at FW1989 or the collections before the 1994 breakthrough collections, we can see already a sexual tension that is totally absent. There are glimpse already in 1987 of what might come but it’s as you said, very banal in a way…
I think he really overtime stripped away all the unnecessary effets de styles. Maybe going frequently in NYC was also the result of that change…Because he did very seductive things before like feathers, drapés, some things we might see even from Romeo Gigli sometimes but suddenly his fashion evoked a certain emergency that resonated with real life.

It’s funny but I love the earlier Prada collections…FW88 to FW90 are absolutely charming to me. There’s something that gives me comfort about those collections even if they really looks like clothes from a luxury brand rather than what a fashion brand can do.

But the change was more radical at Prada I think because Helmut stripped things away but Miuccia did a total flip from FW92 to SS93. It almost looks like two different brands. And I feel like from 93, each year was like a different and strong statement. She went from a very Woodstock grunge to a more contemporary grunge and then classic minimalist conservative dressing to then very geek-nerdy chic etc…


It’s so interesting in a way to see the creative trajectory of these greats. It seems so far in times but it’s very close in way. And what I think is very great is to see how the construction of a style is a never ending affair.

Even if in 2004, Helmut wasn’t THE VOICE he was before, he was still challenging himself. Those gowns from FW2004 are masterpieces.

 

[runner]

while those pics might give us the impression that it was a bit like the folky era of david bowie, before HL debut in paris he had been well-known locally for years. just like comme, YY, undercover,etc, he had achieved some success already.

speaking of yohji, he was a big fan of lang tee's.
yohji at HL show



firstview

 

[Phuel]

^^^ If I were 14yo, I’d be staring at that shot and getting lost in daydreaming, pining and being inspired for a life like theirs, and what they’re discussing; the insider coupes and plans; Yohji’s next collection and Grace and Andre’s next shoots; whom they’re casting, and whom they’re working with for editorials and campaigns… Andre may be better known as the industry’s ultimate social butterfly, but he was so well-versed in fashion history and fashion culture through sheer passion, that there’s no one like him around anymore.

In 2023, if there was a shot of Law Roach/JW Anderson/Kim K I couldn’t care less what they were talking about, let alone what they were up to.

 

[Avonlea]

I find his early offering incredibly charming. There is a sense of warmth and comfort. It feels almost romantic.

 

[velvetandsilk]

In his collections from the 80s you can see that he is from Austria. Many silhouettes are his interpretation of various folk costumes, plus a classical musician's dress code.

 

[velvetandsilk]

helmut_lang_archive

 

[lelaid]

For me there’s a real difference already with the collections shown on the elevated runway to the ones showed on the floor-runway.
Even if we look at FW1989 or the collections before the 1994 breakthrough collections, we can see already a sexual tension that is totally absent. There are glimpse already in 1987 of what might come but it’s as you said, very banal in a way…
I think he really overtime stripped away all the unnecessary effets de styles. Maybe going frequently in NYC was also the result of that change…Because he did very seductive things before like feathers, drapés, some things we might see even from Romeo Gigli sometimes but suddenly his fashion evoked a certain emergency that resonated with real life.

I think the important piece of context is that he brought in Melanie Ward in 1992, presumably the first publicly shown consulting/styling work would have been on the 1993/1994 collections.

 

[runner]

mats gustafson



trendland