Fashion
Altuzzara's Mapplethorpe-Inspired Glamour
Story by Kristen Bateman / Photography by Sonny Vandevelde
04 March 2019
Joseph Altuzarra is currently celebrating 10 years of his label. In Paris, where Altuzarra has strong roots and regularly shows, the designer put out a collection with beautiful wardrobe staples and eveningwear alike. "This season, I wanted to convey a sense of freedom and individuality," read the show notes. "I was drawn to the idea of toughness, the aesthetic of Mapplethorpe's photographs and the fetishization of leather, harnesses and biker gear. In stark contrast, I was also inspired by romance and glamour, harking back to another era, when dressing up was a way of life." Here's everything else you need to know about the show.
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Paisley, a pattern we haven't seen much of — or at all — during the fall 2019 collections, was everywhere. But it was perhaps most interesting and successful when placed on long skirts and pants.
Altuzarra knows how to craft a beautifully cut dress and this season's collection was full of a bounty of options. These garments felt like the beating heart of the show, and a good number of them were all covered in paisley.
The beautifully rendered leather bags were a surprising highlight of the collection. In neutral tones and designed to be slightly chunky and structural, they came in smaller bucket sizes as well as crescent shapes.
A trench coat with contrasting leather pockets and arms, an oversized nearly floor length Prince of Wales checked jacket, another leather trench with playful fringe at the waist — these were the makings of an extremely strong outerwear selection.
Some of the most stunning pieces were the gold frilled lame dresses and skirts that felt almost liquefied and sculpted in their forms.
Photography: Sonny Vandevelde