First up: Egonlab.
Kévin Nompeix and his creative partner Florentin Glémarec came back to Paris Fashion Week after taking a year off. And they came back at an interesting time for not only the United States but the entire world. They call their collection "S4LEM," a reference to the Massachusetts witch trials, as a way to speak about the current "witches": outsiders, and the misunderstood. "We are the new witches of Salem."
"We" as in minorities, they explained. As in gay, trans, queer, Black, brown, immigrants, outsiders. "You know, based on what’s happening in politics everywhere," Nompeix continued. Everywhere, yes, but most notably in the current White House occupant's first stunt, er, address as the 47th President of the United States on Monday, when he declared that it would be "official policy" of the United States government that "there are only two genders."
But instead of using witch tropes which would have been the easy path, Egonlab actually turned up the volume on the "We" section...if the machine of the current president's followers run on "liberal tears" as they have often crowed, then they don't get tears anymore. They just get us, in all our fabulous gay, trans, queer, Black, brown, immigrant, outsider glory.
The garments for this FW '25-'26 collection are subtle but once one really starts to look, they are simply amazing. One of the things that really strikes me is the brilliant juxtaposition of a tight, tailored torso with bell shaped, Kimono-like sleeves (the version in denim is surprisingly elegant). I am in love with those long coats that feature an asymmetrical one-button closure...especially the version in claret (look #16 below). Love the skirts over voluminous pants, and the maribou-esque collars and cuffs, too...very "We." But I think the most startling moment is the black leather trousers that continue up and morph into a long scarf to wrap around the neck (look #23). Wow.
The cumulative effect of this collection is ultimately one of dashing romance. All of us witches, man...We're powerful. And We're staying right. where. We. are.
https://egonlab.com/
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