TITLED Lunar Delivery, the latest collection from Off-White aligns itself entirely with the playful, limitless imagination of Virgil Abloh, while finding a grounding comfortability in the brand’s roots which merge with those of new artistic director Ibrahim Kamara.
Looking toward his beginnings in West Africa, Kamara injects an essence of his homeland into the clothing, with an earthy colour palette inspired by rain-rusted roofs made from corrugated iron and motifs that conure up an image of indigenous civilisations. Though Kamara has proven the importance of paying homage to the late, great Abloh, it’s exciting to see his own story, and own personality emerge through a new visual dialogue, as what is Off-White without a heart and overwhelming personality?
The garments themselves have a technicality which root them in the intersection between futurism and historicism, and with a title like “Lunar Delivery,” there’s a sigh of relief when you realise the pieces aren’t straight from a sci-fi movie or space age design book, but instead are considered and tell a story in themselves. The idea of showing a collection in a planetary setting still in keeping with the childlike ambition continually perpetuated both by the brand and Abloh himself.
Bold structures, rounded shoulders and an abundance of eyelets all work together to create a cohesive lineup; gabardine skirts, metallic puffers and body-morphing accents all contrasting the dusty backdrop of the venue.
Much like his last show for the house, a key focal point of the collection are the shoes, which tell a story in themselves. Angular knee-highs, metallic combat boots and oversize sneakers are carefully considered when paired with each look, they are not a staple basic thrown in as an after-thought, but a must-have addition need to complete each and every outfit.
by Ben Sanderson