It may not be a full-on club kid revival, but Danish designer Anne Sofie Madsen busted out the glitter and flash for her gender bending Spring Summer 2018 collection at Paris Fashion Week.
Presenting her newest ready-to-wear line atop the steps of the Palais Brongniart, Madsen defied convention with her inclusion of male models and unisex tops during a week devoted to the best in women’s fashion. The designs themselves are a contemporary ode to the disappearing walls of established gender roles in society.
Dominated by a rather muted color palette of white, beige, and black, Madsen’s latest line of roughly 30 pieces is accentuated by the consistent use of silver sequins to contrast against the subdued backdrops. The collection walks the narrow and thin line between high fashion and hip, young evening wear, ideal for the youthful crowd that flocked to her show.
Girls in suits, boys donning spaghetti strap tanks, holding handbags, Madsen’s line was not all about crossing gender boundaries. Nearly half of the collection was comprised of women’s dresses that ranged from wild and exotic to collared knits. There was also an interesting use of buttons on several pieces, that could double as dresses or outerwear, designed to crisscross up the body.
Madsen’s show also placed a heavy emphasis on accessories, with models wearing massive and shiny silver neck and ear pieces, along with an assortment of designer goggles, bags, and shoes, which ranged from over-sized sneakers to heels. Each and every look would would be suitable for the club, while many would hold up at more conservative formal functions.
Rounding out the event was the scene-stealing sheer top look with the word “SPEED” sewn into the fabric in shiny costume gems. Perhaps a comment on the rapid turnover of fashion in the digital age, or a fitting moniker for the fast-living crowd most likely to wear Ms. Madsen’s designs, the top perfectly summed up the ethos of her newest collection.