Narciso Rodriguez S/S 2020 New York

[showtonic]

(photo credit: vogue.com)

 

[TianCouture]

This is chic.

 

[Norden]

This shows that most of these generic designers benefit by having a lookbook instead of a show. The pictures elevate these structured clothes and make them desirable.

 

[Lola701]

While the lookbook elevated the whole thing, I love how through techniques he managed to make his minimalism a bit warmer!
The cocoon shirt and the cocoon-ish red dress with the black shoes are perfect.
Now that Calvin Klein is done, CK fans can go to Narciso.

 

[bc collector]

I know it was his own choice to move out of the circus that fashion has become as of late, but still, I think NR is one of the most overlooked designers of the last decade. And I mean real designers, not marketers or PR whores.

 

[Lola701]

I know it was his own choice to move out of the circus that fashion has become as of late, but still, I think NR is one of the most overlooked designers of the last decade. And I mean real designers, not marketers or PR whores.

Overlooked?
For me, Narciso is a very clientele-oriented designer. His clothes are really for a specific woman, in a specific country at a specific place at her mind. I don’t even feel like he is designing to fulfill his creativity even if it does. Looking at his clothes, I know he loved playing with the draping and the cuts...But always with his New-York affluent minimalist woman in mind.

I see him a bit like Ralph Rucci but in RTW.
I like Narciso’s clothes but I wouldn’t buy them because I feel like they aren’t for me.

 

[TianCouture]

Was going to say the same thing Lola, he's like Rucci in many ways. This is truly aspirational clothing.

 

[bc collector]

Overlooked?

Yes, overlooked.
His European accounts are basically non existent (except online stores, probably not the best ones to sell such subtle garments) and I really doubt he would struggle that much to find clients this side of the Atlantic.
He originally was produced by Alberta Ferretti's Aeffe and had even a store in Milan...probably things didn't work out as planned and he decided to concentrate almost exclusively on the American market.
Again, pity, especially now that not many designers are catering to that type of clientele.

 

[tricotineacetat]

Yes, overlooked.
His European accounts are basically non existent (except online stores, probably not the best ones to sell such subtle garments) and I really doubt he would struggle that much to find clients this side of the Atlantic.
He originally was produced by Alberta Ferretti's Aeffe and had even a store in Milan...probably things didn't work out as planned and he decided to concentrate almost exclusively on the American market.
Again, pity, especially now that not many designers are catering to that type of clientele.

There was a time when his European-made clothes were sent to the US and exported to his oversea accounts again from there, which as you can probably imagine, added to the price of his clothes in Europe. I don't think he really had a thought-out distribution network in Europe for a long time which probably explains why the attitude of his collection very much communicates as a US thing and not something very European - The influence of retailers on his business would have probably made him design more separates, maybe even some more casual pieces - You think of Narciso Rodriguez first and foremost as a dressmaker and less a tailor, I wouldn't really know what knits or jersey separates would look like from him or integrate into the entirety of his collection.

I don't think this would realistically come to happen anytime soon but I think becoming the creative director of a house with a strong tailoring background such as Jil Sander, Hugo Boss or even Theory would give him the right kind of push to open his world to other situations.

 

[tricotineacetat]

I didn't get to comment anything about the collection lookbook at all which is a shame since this is looking very, VERY terrific. Minimalistic fashion can easily look very austere and in lacking of sensuality which is something that Narciso Rodriguez' designs always celebrate. You could really say that in the school of minimalist designers such as Jil Sander, Helmut Lang or Raf Simons (in his earlier days), his point of view offers an interesting alternative because of his much stronger dressmaking skills compared to his tailoring (quite the opposite of Jil Sander and Helmut Lang). It's really hard to pick a favourite item here, I really enjoy every look in it's own right. Also, really great photography and casting!

 

[Lola701]

Yes, overlooked.
His European accounts are basically non existent (except online stores, probably not the best ones to sell such subtle garments) and I really doubt he would struggle that much to find clients this side of the Atlantic.
He originally was produced by Alberta Ferretti's Aeffe and had even a store in Milan...probably things didn't work out as planned and he decided to concentrate almost exclusively on the American market.
Again, pity, especially now that not many designers are catering to that type of clientele.

Hmmm... I totally get you now...
But somehow I believe that focusing on the American market was a clever move from him.
Everything happened kinda fast for him in the late 90’s and quickly he became the creative director of Loewe.
While his work for Loewe will remain timeless, it was nearly impossible at that time for him to have a voice in Europe.

This is the continent of Jil Sander and Helmut Lang and at that time, they were the authority in minimalism. And the early 00´s also saw a shift in terms of sensibility.

I think it’s better to have a small at home than being big and having to compromise. Doing what he does for his clientele, while having a strong, successful perfume for more than a decade is a gift.

 

[tricotineacetat]

Nothing against a small but functioning niche business but I think for many years, Narciso's brand was only known and centered around cling-y dresses with cutouts in the midriff or back - Nothing against those dresses, but at times I would guess that people didn't know where exactly to put him, alongside the more intellectual spectrum of designers (such as Helmut Lang, Jil Sander or even Yohji Yamamoto, whom he so openly admires) or rather next to Victoria Beckham (to make but the most blunt comparison). I can see European retailers struggling with that, especially since the need for cocktail and evening is smaller here than in the States.

I think the last years showed some serious evolution in his work, you could really see that he pushed his shapes in directions he might have previously never taken - A bit more away from the body, more pants, asymmetry. There is an austerity there that isn't too far off from Rick Owens work when he references mid-century couture. There is a practical, urban element to his work that could even entice a former Celine customer to buy into his brand.

 

[Ken Doll Jenner]

He would be great for Lanvin but judging by how most star designers struggle to find their momentum after being appointed to helm a conglemerate-centric house, I understand why he wants to keep his brand low-key. I miss seing his designs on the runway though. A sense of dynamism that his minimalist clothes convey on the runway can look breathtaking at times.