Astrid Andersen SS18: Sporty-safari-meets-luxury-aesthetic

Influences can be taken from anywhere and everywhere; for her spring summer collection Astrid Andersen chose to take inspiration from the safari, re-appropriating a commonly referenced theme and creating new associations. 
Dewey skinned models crossed the catwalk in outfits exemplary of Andersen’s knack for renewing the bold and basic affiliations with sportswear into a union of two juxtaposed elements: the contemporary masculine with the traditional feminine. For this season, these elements were accentuated through a collaboration with Monies, a brand whose ornate crystals could not be missed, adorning the model’s wrists and infusing luxury into a style of clothing often perceived as the very opposite.
Sweatshirts were emblazoned with the brands motif and complemented with lace panels of various sizes depicting flora and foliage in golds, mints and greens, evoking an exotic safari vibe and equipping sportswear with a new brand of potential. Tank tops and tracksuits were composed from crushed velvet in blacks and khakis, engaging the visual and tactile associations with the luxury. Sun bonnets featured in lace or materials with a lustrous sheen, followed with a dramatic trail of a length and formality akin to a robe; billowing against the model’s stride, the item alluded to a safari-meets-luxury aesthetic. PVC-esque tracksuits, jackets and sun bonnets were doused in a cool pistachio green, eliciting a wet-look and perfectly coinciding with the glistening complexions of the models. 
What caught the eye the most was the extensive attention paid to outerwear. Incorporating macs and jackets into the collection, Andersen ensured that their surface possessed as many focal points and intricacies as the clothing below would. Coruscating against the light, the indigo blue surface of a mac was embellished with flora and fauna and segmented with bold black panelling; perfectly melding the beautiful and the bold into one garment, it became exemplary of the potential that amalgamating opposing visuals could have.

Text: Libby Festorazzi