YOU’RE not cool unless you commute, according to South Korean label, Solid Homme.
Within the walls of the Cirque d’Hiver, a bus stop emblazoned with an illuminous SOLID sign and awaiting citizens served as the backdrop to Woo Young Mi‘s narration of the daily travel to work partaken by us all.
A designer endlessly inspired by art, the show drew from Edward Hopper paintings in its colour palette and tone, generating an interesting amalgamation of speed and sombreness.
A feeling of romantic melancholy permeated the looks, carved deeper by shades of midnight black, rich blues and sea greens. A brand known for its inherent commitment to urban utilisation, Woo Young Mi’s autumn-winter 2024 presented the traveller in parkas, denim, and slim-fitted leggings.
The fabric of homespun tweed, found on a softly sloping suit, contrasted with iridescent two-tone nylon jackets – an example of the collection’s exploration of the mundane mixture of a worker’s wardrobe.
Motorcycle helmets revisited the bus stop again and again – be it as headwear or bags – and accessories of Cutler and Gross eyewear paired with Bang & Olufsen headphones marked the commuter uniform as a cool, yet solitary one.
Cycling tops and Oxford moleskin biker shorts signified Solid Homme’s continuing integration of sportswear, and padded coats in ivory and light lime ensured practicality stands at the foreground of the collection.
Windswept models walked, sat, greeted, and gazed aimlessly in Woo Young Mi’s exploration of modern alienation, where, anchored by the Bauhaus concept of form following function, the presentation seemed to ask viewers what it means to have collective solitude in modern-day life.
by Madeleine Ringer