Like Proenza Schouler in New York, the Sportmax team took inspiration from martial arts for Fall. The quilting on coats, the rounded shapes of shoulders and sleeves on turtleneck sweaters, and the sporty cut of the technical-fabric pants all had their origins in the uniforms of karate, judo, and other elegantly dressed forms of fighting. Knotted black belts tied the collection together.
Coats were a central conceit, no surprise for this Italian sportswear brand. They had a butch swagger, with boxy, masculine cuts; popped collars; or bold fur lapels. Dresses, on the other hand, accentuated the feminine, thanks to the curving, ergonomic contrast seams running up and down the sides.
The edgy and urban look was something of a departure for Sportmax, but Asia is a big theme for Fall, which positions the label well going forward. Still, the NC-17 lyrics for accompaniment on the soundtrack were a tacky step too far. Especially with the starlet Chloë Moretz, just turned 15, sitting front-and-center with her mom.
