There’s a buzz around Sebastiaan Pieter. Although this is his fourth collection, it’s the first on schedule for the Dutch designer who is part of Topshop’s NewGen scheme. Already known for his floor-skimming dresses for men and skirts that appear to be fashioned from a pair of pants, he further blurred gender boundaries via an asymmetric split-back shirt and pants that came slit to the knee. The overall feel was one of fluidity and calm, underpinned with a tribal and sexualized frisson.
Joggers and romper suits featured zip detailing and understated tattoo graphics were woven into knitwear, while a “crunched wool” fabrication lent a more laid-back feel to tailored jackets, pants and coats. Metal piercing details at cuffs, elbows and knees – a collaboration with jeweler Husam El Odeh (who also made pieces for the Topman show) — brought more edginess to proceedings. “One of the first shoots I remember seeing was in The Face magazine — girls in a tattoo and piercing parlor shot by Ellen von Unwerth,” Pieter said of the inspiration behind the collection.