“Wish you were here”: something signed on nearly every postcard known to man. It brings up images of sandy beaches, gorgeous mountaintops, or cities beyond the scope of the normal day-to-day. But for Masha Popova’s SS27 collection, the phrase, and collection’s namesake, is connected to a place that doesn’t exist to her. She didn’t have a chance to actually escape because she was too busy working.
Models had the day off at 180 Strand for her collection, as mannequins were posed among the sandcastle, a washed up boat, and beach chairs, being perfectly dry while looking like they just beautifully drudged through the coast line. For those familiar with Popova’s previous designs, she regularly uses texture as part of her design language and storytelling. So here, the damp-looking marks on a top-skirt combo perfectly mimicked the look of clothes pulled over a still-wet swimsuit and the acid-wash denim jean was decorated in a swirling pattern, looking like sand was clinging around the fraying hems and seams.
The Reebok sneakers, part of a collaboration centred around the Freestyle shoe, featured across the mannequins to nail the idea that these clothes aren’t meant necessarily for a beach vacation, they’re meant for anywhere else.
The rooms were dark and oddly intimate for a presentation, though it seemed that most of the crowd was hesitant to get up close to the mannequins. The mannequins were situated at the centre of the two rooms, while the projected sandy beach backgrounds emphasised the disconnection between the beachy vacation and the reality of the clothes.
It was arguably necessary to get up close, considering how dark the room was, even with the warm spotlights set up around the two small industrial showrooms.
When you did get up and close personal, the textures and the intentional sewing choices became much more visible. It elevated the collection from one that simply looked cool from afar, to one that really told the collection’s story and emphasised all the textural details Popova created.
Like how the shiny bomber jacket was formed of a single component, as the shape was determined by the dense lines of stitching to emulate an ever-constant billowing look. Or, if a forever windswept look isn’t in your cards, a leather painted trench coat made its mark with rubbed away stress points, all to look like where the body might naturally wear through it.
You don’t leave the dark showrooms wishing you were down there still, but you do wish you could get your hands on any of the pieces.
