Scene setting: the inside of the Palais des Beaux-Arts was set up like a series of narrow corridors lined in floral wallpaper with beige carpet. The environment replicated what designer Luke Meier called ‘a generic home’ – a place that is both familiar and far away at the same time. At the forefront of the research was the sense of homely comfort and how often it can manifest in different ways for us all.
Mood board: the show opened with a heavy Loden felt shirt cut raw on the edge, giving it a sculptural, elevated quality. The influence of military garments came from the artists Joseph Beuys and Ellsworth Kelly and their time serving in WW II. Beuys used felt as a core material due to experiences in the war. Kelly – whose graphic colourful canvases are a favourite of the Instagram generation – was part of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, better known as the Ghost Army, who would impersonate Allied Army battalions to deceive the enemy. Meier translated these ideas into the heavy, rounded volumes on coats; seams are welded and archetypal army garments are translated in light silk organza.
Finishing touches: the clothes were sharp and modern in a way that will please die-hard followers of fashion; floral upholstery motif fabrics were used in tailored topcoats and suiting. Graphic shapes were printed over felt shirting and coats, evoking the message of Kelly onto the medium of Beuys. Postcard prints were used on quilted linings, shirting and technical outerwear. Standout were the lace-up leather boots featuring cutaway uppers, which exposed linings in felt, naturally.
