Siki Im Spring 2014

[jackg]

Edited September 11, 2013 by jackg

[jackg]

Edited September 11, 2013 by jackg

[jackg]

Edited September 11, 2013 by jackg

[jackg]

Edited September 11, 2013 by jackg

[jackg]

Edited September 11, 2013 by jackg

[jackg]

Edited September 11, 2013 by jackg

[djrajio]

Lol at WWD review:

In the kind of show middle America would scratch its collective head at, Siki Im transformed the idea of hospital scrubs and prison garb into a high-concept statement on freedom and redemption via loose, minimalist garments in Japanese poplin, nylon and jersey.

Some models were accessorized with a layer of plastic wrap or a crinkled washcloth atop their heads — more confusion for middle America — but some familiar designs like crisp blazers and simple blouson jackets added structure to the quixotic, yet compelling, proceedings.

[jackg]

Lol at WWD review:

In the kind of show middle America would scratch its collective head at, Siki Im transformed the idea of hospital scrubs and prison garb into a high-concept statement on freedom and redemption via loose, minimalist garments in Japanese poplin, nylon and jersey.

Some models were accessorized with a layer of plastic wrap or a crinkled washcloth atop their heads — more confusion for middle America — but some familiar designs like crisp blazers and simple blouson jackets added structure to the quixotic, yet compelling, proceedings.

haha. I can't remember the specific article but there was something recently about the woeful state of fashion critique! Such meaningless garbage, no middle american's would have heard of him or care about his runway shows. It would be nice if they could actually engage with the clothing/aesthetic of the show. 

Edited September 11, 2013 by jackg

[djrajio]

To be honest this collection sucks though.

 

Concept had a lot of potential but execution is a bit lacking.

 

Not feeling the towels on the head at all, artistic or not.

 

Nor the shrink wrap.

 

If he had developed his aesthetic more fully for several seasons of evolution than he could have taken a risk with his collection.

 

Think J.W. Anderson or MMM.

 

Plus the clothes look cheap.

Edited September 11, 2013 by djrajio

[CASSAVA PIECE]

[jackg]

Yeah but regardless of collection value, some sort of intellectual engagement from a reviewer would be nice. 

 

I like parts of it, the theme is interesting but yes it has been watered down and emphasized in strange ways, the towel on head and glad wrap are disjointed and lack coherence with the rest of the collection. It is also quite different from previous collections, not necessarily a bad thing but I can seem what you mean in regards to really developing a core aesthetic before branching off too far.

[djrajio]

Agree with you on those points.

[jdemotion]

 

bill pointed out on this post above, Siki worked for Helmut Lang so I think the finale was a nod to his work. Still don't get the towel thing, but the shrink wrap "makes sense" to me now.

Edited September 13, 2013 by jdemotion

[polishmike]

[bill]

Yeah the shrink wrap was a nod to Helmut's work more than anything else because he worked for him. 

Were the straps simply straps or holsters? I hope for the later (will cop)

Clean collection with only a few hints of colours (that i like). The boilersuits are well done, too. I hope to see someone with a baseball/prison top in our waywt.

 

After all, this is a spring/summer collection and it feels like one that's made for NYC.

 

 

With this and Thom Browne, it looks like psychiatric-chic is in for ss14!

[bill]

 

 

REMORSE

"If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake. That will be punishment—as well as the prison." - Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment

First a crime, which trespasses against society's laws; followed by judgment condemning the misconduct committed; ultimately, from memory of sin, there is guilt, and then regret. It is a familiar experi- ence for many in prison, who often know more genuine self-reflection and remorse than the innocent. But while it is painful, it can also offer redemption.
This idea shaped the SIKI IM Spring/Summer 2014 collection. The clothes borrow from the garments of institutions, specifically penitentiaries and hospitals, but strip away what's somber and restricting about them to suggest a sense of liberation. A jumpsuit appears in a luxurious, airy linen or crispy Japanese cotton, and a raincoat has been made from thin paper-nylon. Silky nylon tops and tunics reminiscent of protective medical scrubs are worn under or on top.
Proportions of classic menswear pieces such as the field jacket, military shirt, chino, boxer short or even t-shirt have been reconsid- ered and reworked. Most of them are oversized like prison uniforms, but their proportions suggest easiness and defy restriction. Pants have a generous cut that allows for movement, and much of the outerwear drapes easily about the wearer but with a slimmer sleeve.
Many in prison have a record of their sins in the form of tattoos, particularly in Russia where men wear their life stories on their skin. Alix Lambert's documentary of that culture in "Mark of Cain" made its own impression on the collection. It is represented in a tattoo print created by tattoo artist MxM Maxime Büchi that appears on several pieces.
The theme of institutions continues in the color palette, which mirrors the colors found in sanitariums. There are cold whites and neutrals, with washed, broken pastels of grays, nude, blue, and rose. They arrive alongside pieces in rich black, mixing a feeling of freshness with weight and depth.
Tops like double-layered shirts and shorts with underlayers of raw silk are mixed with the signature pieces of SIKI IM's collections. Those include fully-canvassed structured blazers, bomber jackets, tunics, and cotton or linen knitwear. All garments are made in U.S.A.
As always, the collection uses the highest quality fabrics from some of the world's best mills. Among the materials are Japanese linen and cotton shirting, and exceptional Italian suiting wool and leather. Several garments are also fabricated from Italian washed and dyed silk.
The collection embraces the contrast between the heavy, confining quality of remorse and the lightness and freedom suggested in redemption. From that tension, it offers a uniform that begins from restriction and is adapted to life outside walls.

 

 

[bill]

review from style.com
 

September 09, 2013 
New York, by Lauren Sherman
 
Prison: so hot right now. Designer Siki Im, for one, is currently fascinated by the idea of institutions. More particularly, jail and hospital uniforms, which explains why Alix Lambert's Russian-prison documentary The Mark of Cain was a main source of information for the designer's Spring collection. "It's a pretty intense documentary," said Im backstage at his Monday runway show, which took place in an indoor parking lot. (Range Rovers and BMWs lined the grit-covered brick walls.)
 
The clothes, however, were not too intense. Instead, Im took classic menswear proportions and gave them a still-easy-to-wear "prison fit." Japanese cotton wide-leg trousers were paired with a simple twill silk crew-neck top—it resembled the ultimate penitentiary uniform, or even hospital pajamas. Im worked with his personal tattoo artist, MXM, to create a prison-tattoo-inspired print that was dotted on T-shirts, boxer shorts, and even blazers. And yes, there were shower shoes, which, as anyone who has read the yuppie-in-a-penitentiary memoirOrange Is the New Black knows, are essential for such an institution. These looked like traditional sport slides but were made of paper soles with a stretchy cotton strap that rendered them more of a psych-ward slipper.
 
The finale moved the collection fully from the jail cell to the emergency room, with models sporting silicone-nylon tunics inspired by hospital scrubs. (You know, the plastic kind doctors wear during bloody surgeries.) "We usually stick with natural fibers, but it felt appropriate to experiment with more technical materials this season," said Im. The approach worked, giving the whole collection the unsettling edge it needed. After all, none of Im's chosen institutions could be called a cakewalk.

[bill]

pictures from NY Times

[Desi]

I like that even when Im's collections seem lost on me from first viewing, I can still enjoy the pieces in person when its released.

[vannmel0n]

I tend to like what siki im is trying to do, but his material choices and cuts are just so amateur and uninspired. Paying 600 bucks for a pair of pants made of cotton you get from target is not sexy.

[pickpackpockpuck]

 

Lol, I've seen this dude around the East Village and the LES a bunch. A friend of mine used to live in his building. The story was that he had a break down while working on his thesis years back. No idea whether that's true, but that was the rumor among his neighbors. Anyway, that's irrelevant to the thread...

 

I'll just start by saying I'm biased because I'm a fan of the label, but I liked the collection. The runway show was a little weird, but I def prefer that to boring, which is most other shows in my opinion, especially in New York. At least there's some sort of concept behind the presentation and it's not just going through the motions to sell clothes like a lot of other designers. On that note, just because this is what you see on the runway doesn't mean this is what you'll see in stores. I'm sure there will be plenty of black on the racks, and no plastic shirting.

 

I'm glad the nod to Helmut was pointed out with the plastic. It fits with the theme mentioned in the statement and nods to fashion history and one of Im's big influences. It fits, in other words. It's not just some random shit thrown out there. The straps (and yeah, they're just straps and not holsters) reference Helmut too. The towels are kinda neither here nor there for me. I don't think they added much, but they didn't ruin it either. That said, I really liked the hair/makeup in the fall show, and I don't think it was as good this time around.

 

As for the fabrics being something you could find in target, that's just silly since they're mostly from Italy and Japan and a lot of silk was used in the collection. Maybe your target is a lot nicer than the one near me though.

[bill]

Where is Terence Koh ? This is perfect for him.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if a store bought all the silk-nylon shrink wrap garments already... if not, my guess is they will be sold during a sample sale.