There is a unique feeling that emerges when a brand seems to be at a turning point—something akin to respect sprinkled with excitement. This came through at Amiri today, as the combined men’s and women’s collections exuded perceptible finesse and focus. “I think you have a big vision and sometimes the vision is not perfectly clear but you can sort of see the brightness ahead of you,” Mike Amiri said backstage about working up to this moment.
Without doubt, the staging—lush white flowers and ferns within the soaring nave of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs—registered far lighter and brighter than the gothic backdrops past. Likewise the tone-on-tone palette, which also leaned lighter and, you might even say, pretty. Perhaps the brightness was already owing to OTB’s recent minority stake in the Los Angeles-based brand. Whatever combination of factors, in this opulent ode to Woodstock, Amiri pretty much found his sweet spot.
Which is not to say any of these upscale bohemian looks—from tailored vests over crochet tops to flared trousers—marked uncharted territory. But what had previously seemed like contrived mixing and distressing now registered as effortlessly matched. Plus, the perfect fit of each jean and velvet pant was far more evident now that black was no longer the default option. And you need only notice the bursts of color at Issey Miyake and in Virgil Abloh’s third men’s collection for Louis Vuitton today to appreciate how Amiri’s gamble will pay off.
Elsewhere, the guitar strap trompe l’oeil on jackets made an embellished encore this season, establishing a brand signature of sorts. Generously-sized bags with closures like audio jacks looked luxurious—quite possibly aiming to become a would-be West Coast altnerative to Hermès. But the real status symbol, especially for Hendrix aficionados, will be the denim jacket paneled in an airbrushed illustration authorized by the musician’s estate—no easy feat. “I have been asking myself why and how we’ve grown,” Amiri said of reaching this moment. “Authenticity has been the most important. We’re still just a bunch of scrappy kids from L.A. doing this together.”
