Maria Koch built on the notion that nothing in this world is truly new, especially when it comes to fashion. “Trying to do something new is a marketing strategy,” said the creative director of the buzzy German label at a cocktail party to celebrate the launch of her new collection. “What is new is to find a scenario that changes something existing.”
As such, she offered up a pared back lineup riffing on reinvented tailoring, contrasting fitted silhouettes with voluminous pieces in a reduced color palette that highlighted the designs.
Baggy pants became a full silk skirt for evening, with flaps of fabric on the hips adding interest, while a roomy trench coat had the volume of streetwear and the rigor of something more formal. Shorts for men were done in a stiff satin, with boxy pockets, and given the more rounded volumes of a mini-skirt, while leather pants had a scuba-fabric finish, making them less literal and more edgy.
The looks were paired with pieces from a new capsule with another Berlin brand, high-end eyewear maker Mykita, a selection of wraparound shades channeling 032c’s distinctive aesthetic. They are made from Mykita’s proprietary Mylon material, which allows for voluminous shapes without weight, are launching next spring and available in four colorways.
The two brands have a lot in common — both emerged from the city’s early 2000s creative scene and have built a global following for their singular approach in their respective fields.
Koch’s video for the collection, playing in the background, was set inside a luxuriant garden in Berlin dating from the ’30s, contrasting with the minimal silhouettes. “I wanted to show a new scenario of what Berlin can be,” she said.
To do so, she also brought another young Berlin talent to Paris, singer-songwriter Gavriel August, his energetic performance as he moved through the crowded venue ramping up the cool factor a little higher still.
Source: WWD