“After 12 years, you get to the point where you must redefine and remind yourself who you are,” said Damir Doma, showing existential candor in the presence of his latest men’s collection. His conclusion: He is a minimalist, just not in the more accepted, austere sense. “Mine is warmer, more human,” he noted.
This seems like a fair assessment given the variety of artisanal treatments that speak softly through the collection. Near the start of the lookbook, for example, you will see a painterly effect on pant shins, which is echoed a few looks later on a khaki green parka. Doma called this his “origami” process, as the garment was folded before being hand-painted, thus staggering the effect. The punchy pink Japanese cotton has actually been washed and sprayed to register as more tonal and lived-in. In terms that aren’t as technical, his construction and layering continually hover between relaxed tailoring and sophisticated activewear without favoring either. This should appeal to anyone who can’t settle on whether to dress big and boxy or softened and relaxed.
Indeed, for the past few years, Doma has been testing different styles and manners himself, as though unsure of how to be unselfconsciously relevant and broad in appeal. A tunic paneled with utility pockets inspired by the textile art of Sheila Hicks, a hoodie in remarkably crinkly paper polyester, a tracery bandana print, and his logo stitched backwards were among the flourishes that distinguished his designs from similarly introspective designers—such attention to detail will not go unnoticed, even if subtle. The accessories were also well developed, from the netted bags designed with Japanese label, Master-Piece, to the hybrid desert boots and sandals produced by Officine Creative. The new Mykita sunglasses were brilliantly personal: The trendy half-moon frame happens to be his double-D logo flipped sideways.
