Mood board: When Natalia Alaverdian launched her label in 2012, a different animal inspired each of her collections. Scotland was the focal inspiration behind her A/W 2019 offering, both the romantic and foggy hills of the Highlands, and the gritty rave scene of 1990s Glasgow, depicted in Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting.
Alaverdian is known for her deconstruction and experimentation and her witty, perverse take on classics, and these two antithetical references – one conveyed through romantic shapes, Elizabethan necklines and draped tartan, and another through padded outerwear, vinyl two pieces, slashed necklines and punky safety-pin details, offered a strong vision of her juxtaposing aesthetic. Underworld’s Born Slippy, part of Trainspotting’s soundtrack, and the bagpipe-laden Na láma-sa by Corvus Corax offering auditory emphasis.
Best in show: The runway show was split into sections, and the opening element displayed Alaverdian’s prowess with cut and deconstruction. The first nodded to spring’s obsession with neutrals, and the season’s penchant for beige and buttery camel tones (see Burberry, Bottega Veneta and Fendi). That meant tailored trousers-cum-skirts, chic draped blouses, leather trousers with reverse waistbands, trench coats with emphatic accordion pleats and clingy pinstripe dresses. Alaverdian’s skill lies with the fact that her chic silhouettes have an underlying subversion.
Finishing touches: There was a fierce, warrior-like element in the collection, which came courtesy of models sporting densely braided plaits, wrapped around the head like masks, and writhing like the snake hair of Medusa. §
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