Liberation by Siki Im: the Power of Freedom, NYFW2014
The work of an intellectual is not to mould the political will of others; it is, through the analyses that he does in his own field, to re-examine evidence and assumptions, to shake up habitual ways of working and thinking, to dissipate conventional familiarities, to re-evaluate rules and institutions and to participate in the formation of a political will (where he has his role as citizen to play).” -Michael Foucault
Today I attended my friend SIKI IM’s Fall/Winter 2014 collection, Liberation. A phenomenal show at Pier 59 Studios which took over men’s fashion wear this year. Liberation is powerful and eccentric.
SIKI IM seeks to break away from familiarities and assumptions about the past to progress and find liberation.
The designers creativity takes it a step further and collaborates with New York artist Richard Haines who added a touch of his art to the back of many pieces backstage as the show was unfolding making Siki’s collection even more unique!
In NYC, as I’m sure in many other places, we’re always on the go and usually fashionable. Since we spend so much time hustling down the street, it is important to be stylish when we’re charging at you and blowing past you.
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His vision:
The 1970s was a decade rich in forward-thinking and experimental vanguards, questioning tradition and the status quo. For Fall/Winter 2014, SIKI IM re-examined this era looking at its symbols and signifiers. Of particular focus were the ascent of Krautrock, New German Cinema, and the Fluxus art movement.
SIKI IM’s collection is powerful in many ways. I love that it makes a statement from both the front and back of each outfit. The cuts are edgy and exciting yet combining the softness of the modern suit and eccentrifying it.
70’s style larger collars, wide flared and bootcut pants are updated and modernized. Leather jackets, such as the iconic Perfecto jacket are reimagined and paired with the rich fabrics emphasizing this season’s hard/soft apposition. Accordingly the collection embraced these dichotomies. Sharp, angular shapes contrast with warm wools and felts, breaking lines and familiar proportions.
Siki played with basic colors like blacks, grays, dark greens, and completing it with the perfect touch of leather and fur.
Major inspirations for the collection were filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder and artist Joseph Beuys. Both juxtaposed hardness and softness, elegance and vulgarity, and sought to liberate the mind of the viewer.
Each model had a fun accessory above their eye, creating a sparkling effect as they walked down the catwalk through the bright lights. I appreciate that the collection looks comfortable to wear. Simi mixed it up by adding female models who rocked the masculine attire! The shoes are amazing! So detailed and well thought out. I’d love my man to incorporate SIKI IM in his wardrobe.
What his collection consists of:
Not forgotten is the era’s view on elegance and opulence. Outerwear includes full-length wide lapel coats with fox collars appearing on numerous pieces. Trims, typically been hidden in the past, are highlighted with Italian metal zippers and snaps. A-line silhouettes also reference the dominant cut of the time.
A variety of rich wools are used, incorporating patterns, colors, and textures, as in basket-weave knitwear and a carton felt inspired by Beuys. Several more casual garments are made of an elegant wrinkled wool cotton emphasizing contradiction. The color bottle green, a signature of the presentation, is featured in a wool textile designed specifically for the collection with a revered Austrian mill. Blazers and key outwear are fully canvassed and hand-tailored in NYC. All items including clogs are handcrafted in U.S.A.
