As the reins on the creative direction for KSENIASCHNAIDER are handed over to husband Anton Schnaider of the married duo, SS27 gave us a front row seat into his world of graphic design and his desire to both confuse and inspire. Titled UTC+1, the latest collection explores a hybrid category of walk wear and summer wear that teemed with an endless chain of blurring oxymorons around the concept of belonging and being reluctant to that very thing. It encapsulates that, like many things in fashion, you can be various things at once: tough and soft, practical and impractical, fictional and authentic.
Founded in 2011, KSENIASCHNAIDER has been paving the way for sustainable fashion through upcycling for over a decade. Creating designs largely chattered about across the internet for their eccentric boxy silhouettes and transformative production ideas. Habitually, UTC+1 was produced in the brand’s very own factory based in Ukraine, granting full authority and room for experimentation. Though their signature denim took a bit more of a backseat to this collection, the crucial process of sustainability remained imperative. Existing materials of performance and heavy-duty fabrics meet the brand’s signature repurposed denim in an on-going collaboration with Lee Cooper.
Driven from Anton’s inner conflict of what it means to seek the sentiment of belonging whilst at the same time being reluctant to the obligations that come with it, comes through in the consistent tension of the collection: “I like the idea of belonging, but I don’t necessarily want to have to belong on something all the time”. The collection feels like a pick-n-mix sweet selection ending in a concoction of assortments, there’s a little bit of everything in there. Styles that don’t necessarily work together, worked together and fused to build fictional identities from the musings of the ‘Urban Nomad’.
The character of the ‘Urban Nomad’ extended to the show itself, set in a raw concrete environment contrasting with the collection’s enthusiastic colour palette. Drama amplified with the ever-dramatic entrance music of Boléro, M.81 and gossamer curtains veiling the initial entrances of models. Models embody different characters, navigating the runway in a zig zag formation, crossing and continuously changing the course of their path in true nomadic fashion. The first half of the show kicked off with the graphical sportswear looks and concluded with the merging of utility and floral.
Honouring Anton’s background, graphic design is the central point of the collection. Humorous phrases of ‘nonsense’ and ‘erm’ replace sponsor marks, making uncertainty a logo that we can all belong to. Personal obsessions of fan culture in sports and cars is referenced in the visual illusions of graphics that seemingly appear to lead to something but are in actuality imitations that lead to nowhere. Everything is not as it seems with this collection, Anton explains “I’m interested in things that look like they have a very clear function or meaning but then you realise they don’t quite behave the way you’d expect”. Functionality is intentionally displaced with the overemphasis of compartments and exaggerated pockets for days as a substitute for bags. Although you naturally begin to question how many pockets are too many when it comes to functionality. It’s apparent that UTC+1 was intended to raise brows and alter the perspective on pre-existing ideologies.
The latter portion of the show introduced the disruption to utility style by romanticising uniform pieces with botanical prints. Feminine florals contrasted with laddy sportswear, creating a consistent and exciting tension where the lines between genderised fashion grow hazy as both the feminine and masculine voices of the brand collide. Models carry along floral arrangements draped over bags and sprouting from footwear, remind us that nature is increasingly becoming a luxury, and reconstruction of materials is more important now than ever.
KSENIASCHNAIDER SS27 redefines the boundaries of conformity, finding independence amongst a collective identity. It’s a hopeful rendition that we can create the feeling of belonging for ourselves, even if it doesn’t tangibly exist.
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Show Credits:
Creative Director: Anton Schnaider
Designers: Ksenia Schnaider & Anton Schnaider
Lead Hair: Richard Phillipart
Lead Makeup Artist: Rossino Elia-Griffin with CMC Agency using Anua Global
Collaboration Partner: Lee Cooper