Martine Rose’s AW20 collection is a Now That’s What I Call Fashion re-envisioning of her best bits this decade.
This weekend’s crowning glory was, of course, the shiniest of menswear jewels – covered with latex or polished to make an excellent belt buckle – Martine Rose. With North London as her stage, she certainly knows how to pick a location, from markets in Seven Sisters, whole streets in Kentish Town and even her kids’ primary school this past Sunday, this part of the city is not only a basecamp but a deep-sea of inspiration for the designer.
Rose has spent the last decade toiling over her own universe of misfitting formal ravewear, and with her AW20 collection she proposes a Now That’s What I Call Fashion retrospective of her time in the spotlight, ever the self-referencing queen.
To summarise the spectacle would be impossible, but there’s no doubt the new Durex inspired logo was a crowd favourite, adorned on to T-shirts in an unmissable holographic foil, or knitted into stripped glitter quarter zips. Pastel shirts are printed all over with the names of various London boroughs, maybe paired with built out loafers, excessively pocketed jacket and XXXL trousers. It’s like second nature for Rose to reinvent formal dress codes, changing the face of menswear as we know it – one pair of plaid pants at a time.
Womenswear gets a good look-in this time around too, with unique print dresses, midi-skirts in plaid or latex, oversized blazers and a pair of engulfing-the-thigh high boots that would make Rihanna weep with joy. And look, if Rose says bomber jackets are meant to be worn as scarves, that’s exactly what we’ll be doing. Any questions?
Here’s to another decade of Rose designed splendor. Chin Chin!