Raul Solis of LRS didn’t stage a fashion show last season—and during the pandemic, he presented his collections via in-person appointments or over Zoom. But he sure knows how to get back into the swing of things and design a collection truly made for a show. Last night in Bushwick, he took his love for rock and roll and emo and added Victorian motifs, resulting in clothes that were more bare and more megawatt than ever. Backstage, Solis noted that he wanted to drive home “the idea of war between tradition and counterculture,” adding elements of heritage into his flesh-forward pieces.
Panniers, bustles, and exaggerated sleeves were a theme, sometimes blown-up to the size of yard lanterns. The result was regal. In one instance, Solis attached a pannier to a skirt made of pantyhose, and in another, he morphed a backpack into a bustle that had a train. Sleeves added an elegant twist to some of the more rock and roll pieces, as was the case with black leg-of-mutton sleeves worn with a casual red tank top.
While Solis experimented with splendid touches this season, he always excels when he plays with the basics. His ribbed white tank tops came remixed, now in a thin T-bone shape exposing both nipples. (Those who don’t want to bare it all can layer the pieces.) His best take on the standard ribbed tank came in the form of fused black and white ribbed cotton tank dresses that created a piece of fab evening wear. In Solis’s hands, the war between tradition and counterculture is very chic—and washing-machine friendly, too.
