1 day Ago
Everything came together in perfect harmony at the intimate showing of Astrid Andersen’s sophomore Stel collection. In architect Bjarke Ingels’s BIG HQ, all warm wood and windows looking out on the water, a collective flow moment was created through the interconnectedness of setting, sound, and style. The idea behind Stel is to create “forever” pieces in collections that all relate back to one another, forming a continuously evolving wardrobe, almost a modular idea.
After hosting a presentation for spring, the designer wanted to change direction, but was clear that she didn’t want a traditional back-and-forth. For starters, she noted, “I’m not selling a runway dream within the aesthetic of the brand,” but more than that, she wanted to foster a feeling of interaction among a “mini community of people that you are inspired by and that you are engaging with.” Connection, that’s what the world needs now, shared moments rather than marketing-led brand building.
Hillari, a Norwegian-Filipino artist, performing acapella, hypnotized the audience. Andersen did much the same in her idiom. More plain spoken than hyperbolic, Stel has its own poetry.
A black blazer is cut with a longer back, not an actual swallowtail, but along those lines. Andersen’s signature pinnie silhouette was integrated into the construction of a handsome shirtdress worn, Scandi-style, over pants. There were gray marl sweater separates that spiffed up the idea of slouch.
Asymmetries are another Stel standby; they turned up on long T-shirts and wrapped sweaters. One of these in a persimmon color was a surprise touch of color alongside avocado green. Denim washes were light.
At the close of the show, the models appeared in their looks, carrying the individual pieces and their styling cards on hangers. This emphasized what Andersen calls her “garment driven” approach; it was also like a demonstration of the difference between a house and a home. The idea with Stel is not to create “a momentarily exciting moment” but time-resistant everyday clothes.
Fashion could use more of the human and solidaric approach Andersen brings to fashion..
