Thomas Monet toned things down a little for fall, offering a more focused lineup that was on-brand yet easier to read. Inspired by the “Madchester” scene of the late ’80s and early ’90s, he compared that melting pot, where the early architects of house music mingled with indie musicians, with today’s digital world, where the equilibrium between man and machine remains equally fragile.
In his brightly hued collection for today’s raver, comfort was of the essence. Wide-legged pants were paired with fitted jackets and tops for a silhouette that was very of that era. These were worked in denim, checked suiting fabric or color-blocked brights, worn with long polka-dot silk shirts with pussy-bow collars — worn untied, of course, nothing prim-and-proper here.
Monet played with British heritage fabrics, turning fluffy check wool into wrap skirts with satin blanket-style edging or scarf fringing, for example. Such textiles also provided the inspiration for a new script logo that featured on patch labels stitched onto much of the collection.
Monochrome looks — in vivid yellow, royal blue, neon green or regal purple, for example — were topped with voluminous puffers reminiscent of sleeping bags with their synthetic sheen.
Needless to say, for the Cool TM habitué, the pieces could be all mixed and matched at will to create the chaotic plays on bright colors and carefully clashing motifs the label has built on in seasons past. There were still elements of that intentional anarchy, seen for example on fake-fur tracksuits with a rose motif, laser-cut to give them a 3D effect.