How does colonialism affect the human body? This is no trifling question to answer, and it becomes far trickier when that answer must be articulated in the language of clothing. Here, however, Hussein Chalayan delivered a collection in which the mechanics of dance were used as code to propose a tangible interpretation of that starting point, and that also functioned sometimes gorgeously as garments.
All of the drapes, gathers, twists, and curls that defined the dynamic silhouettes cut for this season were inspired by Chalayan’s interpretation of dances that evolved under two episodes of colonialism: the Portuguese and Spanish centuries in South America, and the seven years during which United States military forces occupied Japan following World War II.
Contemplating Rudolf Laban’s dance analysis and diagrams of dance forms that ran from capoeira to tango inspired the designer to try and replicate these illustrations of movement in his garments. T-shirts with twisted knot details and superlight cotton check jackets were shrouded with panels of light material designed to mimic the subtext so often disguised in dance.
This collection represents just the first few steps of this season’s Chalayan shimmy: His theme is always extended to menswear. For now there was not much evidence of the Japanese chapter of the designer’s thesis, but his print and dancing-couple jungle jacquard hinted figuratively at the South American section of the message he was building these clothes to deliver. “The idea is that you are always moving, but at the same time you are always being held.” That idea applies as much to dancing à deux as it does to wearing garments or being colonized, and it made for some powerfully choreographed clothing here.
