The show was supported by Dolce & Gabbana
“I’m exhausted. I haven’t run like that for years,” Matty Bovan said backstage after an epic finale sprint down his mile-long runway. This season, the Yorkshire-based designer had relocated his show from London to Milan when some very special people made him an offer he couldn’t refuse: A collaboration with Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. “They reached out. They liked my work. They loved the energy, they loved the colour. They said, ‘We’d love to do something with you.’ I said, wow, okay, let’s see in what capacity,” Bovan said, seemingly still in disbelief that it had actually happened. “It’s been special because I went through a really difficult time in my personal life, and this was the right moment for me to give every single thing that I had.”
Dolce & Gabbana gave Bovan full access to their world
It was an incredible opportunity for a designer with a young independent business, and a commendable initiative from Dolce & Gabbana. Bovan said the duo had been beyond supportive throughout the process, allowing him to set up camp in their Milan ateliers and giving full access to their artisans, materials and, even, archives. “They gave all the creative control. I was very grateful to them for giving me such an opportunity.” He wanted to deliver, and boy did he deliver. Appropriately set in a show space in Navigli – an area favoured by many of the young designers who work on the teams of Milan’s fashion houses – the show applied Bovan’s signature ancient futurism to codes from Dolce & Gabbana’s archives, such as corsetry and denim.
It re-energised the codes of Dolce & Gabbana
Titled Shapeshifter, the collection investigated dynamic and seductive silhouettes native to the language of haute couture, and also inherent to the legacy of Dolce & Gabbana. “It’s feminine, but I think my world is very twisted feminine,” Bovan pointed out. If the collection of reissues the Italian designers showed the day before – curated from their archives by their super fan Kim Kardashian – re-familiarised younger audiences with the core genetics of Dolce & Gabbana, Bovan’s approach re-energised those codes in a cross-pollination with his own otherworldly vision. “I did special colours, sizing, and, of course, my hand-painting,” he said, explaining how he had worked the re-issued pieces he chose from the designers’ archives. “Ninety-five percent of it was hand-painted by me.”
It reflected Bovan’s values
Throughout the collaboration, Bovan had stuck to the principles that have always been at the heart of his label, such as upcycling: “It was mostly deadstock: Deadstock linings from fabrics they’ve used before. A lot of the yarns I mixed with new deadstock, so it still looks perfect for the collection,” he explained. “A lot of the work was done in York – a lot by me. All the stuff I did under my label was made in the UK, which is hugely important. And then, working with Dolce was very organic and quite easy. We worked with their atelier and, my God, they’re so incredible! They did such an amazing job. I’ve never seen work like it, ever. I’ve never had access to work like that. Their sewing was just off the scale. It was beautiful,” he gushed, seconds before Dolce and Gabbana came to congratulate him backstage.
It could easily get a sequel
Even if the city’s packed fashion week schedule hardly needed another show added to it, it was amazing to see Matty Bovan do his thing on Milanese soil. It was testament to the generosity of Dolce and Gabbana and their genuine interest in the young talent that will shape the future of their industry. Asked if the opportunity could impact the future of his own label, Bovan said yes. “Possibly, yeah. It’s great to have this amazing platform.” If Dolce & Gabbana is up for another round, there’s definitely an audience for it. And no doubt a clientele, too.
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