GENERATOR

the Arab world to the western eye by way
of the media. As clever as Tisci’s juxtaposition
of these two very different rich cultural
sources is, the question remains as to why
he chose them as the inspirational framework
for his collection. If nothing else, it
is an innovative take on the intersection
between east and west- as America and the
Middle East often find themselves at odds
with each other, weaving their respective
cultures into such a singular concept is both
extremely difficult and extremely relevant.
The designer stated that the main theme
of the collection was “Latino boy goes to
Morocco”, which was apparent- Tisci continually
uses his “Latino boy” as the muse
for his menswear line. The designer is also
known for the gothic edge he likes to imbue
into his looks, which meshes well with
“the mosh-pit couture that defined his first
two menswear lines for Givenchy,” as the
Style.com review of the show mentioned.
As his grungey-gothic look has gained
popularity, the decision to apply it within
the parameters of his Moroccan theme may
have finally hit the mark.
Motif and pattern in Islamic art served
a quasi-transcendental function, elevating
an object onto a plane above the ordinary;
in an interesting parallel, Riccardo Tisci’s
showing for Givenchy featuring these same
motifs and patterns achieves a similar effect
on the fashion industry, setting precedent
for the design process of a new paradigm
in fashion conceptualism. Keeping
all of this in mind, the genius behind the
Givenchy Men’s spring/summer 2010 collection
is that Tisci successfully considered
all of these influences and melded them
with the modern, minimalist sensibility that
has been a seminal influence on fashion. It
is fair to say that structure and minimalism
will be identified by future designers as an
outstanding motif of early twenty-first century
fashion. As a talented designer, Tisci
recognized the importance of this aesthetic
and successfully combined it with an intelligent,
relevant nineties edge, simultaneously
taking care to craft a collection of
relatively basic sportswear separates that
can easily be carried into future seasons.
It’s a perfect trifecta of masterful, erudite
design that bridges decades, cultures, and
generations - a truly cosmopolitan collection
that can keep pace with an increasingly
borderless, rapidly changing world.
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