Fashion Week Poland S/S 2012. International press on the front row, all photography by Amelia Gregory.
Last week I returned to Łódź in Poland for my second dose of Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland. This time around I knew more about what to expect and already had some designers in mind to watch. I was also determined to see as many off schedule shows as possible, because as is often the case this is where the most exciting new talent resides.
Once again I stayed at the Andels Hotel, a fabulous establishment created from one of the many old factories that typify the landscape of Łódź. Andels has neon rimmed curved cut outs between floors and high ceilinged bedrooms that belie it’s industrial origins, and the breakfast is yummy. What more could you want?
Unfortunately I had no time to sample their spectacular overhanging rooftop swimming pool because I had a hectic four days of shows, with up to 12 shows to see each day. To make things even more exciting I offered to take over the official Fashion Week Poland twitter feed @fashionweek_pl for the duration of my visit. Twitter really hasn’t taken off in Poland yet, but I was determined to show them how important it is to reach an international fashion audience. So for four days, not only was I taking photos and editing between shows, I was also twittering as much as I could given a sometimes shaky internet connection (better wi-fi than London Fashion Week though I might add). Interestingly Facebook is huge news for business, with many designers using it as their sole means of communication on the web.
Pregnant ladies on the front row: myself with Fashion Trends Analyst Marlena Woolford.
Eating Polish pancakes at Manekin with my lovely guide Joanna Dyrdowska and Fashion Week Poland organiser Małgorzata Kralkowska.
Having been to Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland twice I now have a much stronger idea of what I would determine to be uniquely Polish in fashion – they excel at a curious mix of grungey draping, downbeat mumsy colours and 80s brashness. Polish style at it’s best revels in odd colour combinations and contrasting fabrics and it’s refreshing to see a strong strain of environmental awareness manifested in both materials and design inspiration (I sadly missed the Re-Act eco fashion show on Wednesday night). Grey jersey draping is such a common theme across collections that when used unimaginatively it quickly becomes very tiring, but when done well it adds to that essential Polish feel, as typified by the likes of Monika Ptaszek. Her S/S 2012 menswear collection was one of my favourites, and showcased the very best of what is essential Polish style.
Monika Ptaszek S/S 2012.
Aside from a very Polish strain to many collections there were noticeably more international trends running through the shows this season, as compared with last. Sheer fabrics reigned supreme, (exposed bums and boobs, hello) as did ikat and digital prints, plus the mini maxi combo that leaves models struggling to align fabric in the best position for cameras as they stride down the catwalk.
Sheer at Joanna Klimas S/S 2012.
Bottoms on show at Poitr Drzal S/S 2012.
Ikat meets maximini at Blessus S/S 2012.
In my upcoming blogs I’ll give a flavour of how this emerging fashion centre is evolving and I will of course concentrate on the most exciting Polish designers to watch out for. There are plenty of Polish designers who have studied and are now working to considerable acclaim in London, and there’s no reason why home trained talent should not make a bigger mark on the international scene in the years to come too.
Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday November 1st, 2011 12:57 pm
Categories ,@fashionweek_pl, ,Andel’s Hotel, ,Blessus, ,Facebook, ,fashion, ,Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland, ,Ikat, ,Inspiration Trends Analysis, ,Joanna Dyrdowska, ,Joanna Klimas, ,Lodz, ,London Fashion Week, ,Manekin, ,Marlena Woolford, ,Maximini, ,Małgorzata Kralkowska, ,menswear, ,MiniMaxi, ,Monika Ptaszek, ,Pancakes, ,Poitr Drzal, ,poland, ,S/S 2012, ,Sheer, ,twitter
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