For the third runway collection of Danish outerwear brand Rains, head of design Tanne Vinter said the exercise was about taking the brand far beyond its initial wet-weather territory.
Given the lineup, the next frontier for Rains might well be outer space.
Vinter’s starting point was heroes, a notion she loves because “everyone has a picture of a hero [in mind] when you hear the word,” she said.
Out came “uniforms that could create energy and movement” in the shape of fleece opera coats, puffer jumpsuits and separates, and all manners of cold-weather gear layered on, in metallics and other tech-looking finishes.
Though she was keen to point out that this was about “inner heroes” and not superheroes, shoulders were voluminous, lengths trailed to the floor and collars rose so high they vibed with supervillain tropes.
Sleeves connected together into a loop, meant by Vinter as a reminder that “we all have something that holds us back” despite the best efforts of that inner hero, added a further uncanniness.
Juxtaposed with gravity-defying hair and organic-looking shoes developed with Germany-based 3D footwear specialist Zellerfeld, the overall effect was more space opera, making it hard to see how it could translate into the achingly cool wardrobe Vinter intended.