As a new mother, Sandra Sandor says she has been experiencing “strong sensations and experiences in relation to my body” and learning “what it’s capable of and how it’s changing and adapting.” Wanting to explore that idea materially, she landed on the theme of “the beauty of imperfection,” or, as the press release states, “flaws.” I balk at the judgment implied in these terms, which also, in my opinion, overstate the case. What’s at play here is mostly asymmetry. The notched cut of a regenerated leather jacket, and the off-kilter neckline in a knit top are unexpected and playful in the context of Nanushka’s orderly and minimalist aesthetic, which, as always, is applied across men’s and women’s categories.
Sandor said she and the team wanted “to reject the conventional notions of gender,” but that felt a bit like virtue signaling. It’s not that the clothes aren’t inclusive—the brand’s clean-lined and simple shapes have always been interchangeable among wearers regardless of gender—but no corners are turned in this collection. Rather, in keeping with Sandor’s approach to design, it’s an evolution of what’s come before. The difference this season is that the designer has allowed for more wiggle room than usual.
