Mary Katrantzou SS 2016

Cosmology was means of ancient societies trying to make sense of the universe. It was regarded a complex and orderly system, the opposite of chaos. Labyrinths are ferociously organized structures, chaotic and constructed to confuse. These two ideologies, cosmic and chaos, fuse in Mary Katrantzou's spring/summer 2016 collection, expressing the concept of movement, of voyage into uncharted territories, an exploration of exploration. Exploration is evoked through reference to wide- ranging cultures combining different elements of their styles to create a new, modern hybrid, Balkan dress, Spanish and Romanian attire, heritage tailoring and French couture workmanship are all interwoven to create a unique whole, a labyrinth of reference forming a new image. Godets of print, colour and maze-like channels of lace are inserted into wool and pinstripe chain tailoring, alongside puzzling pieces of print and lace and matelassé patterns inspired by roses- embroidered into a natural labyrinth. Insertions splice apart the jackets and coats, emphasizing their complexity and allowing us to comprehend their structure, as in cosmology. The cosmos itself appears not only ideologically, but literally. Embroideries and prints draw on the Flammarion engraving of medieval cosmology, frequently used as an illustration of the quest for knowledge. Rorschach test prints - again, finding order in that which is organic, disordered or chaotic- inspire not only the print but the form of scarf-draped tops and dresses unfurling from a central point with mirrored panels. Closures are kept simple with ribbon ties, drawing shapes together. The palette is solarized, contrasting brilliant, glowing colour with an undercurrent of somber midnight shades. Metallic inserts, ribbons and pipings in lamē and chromed pearl glow. As with Ariadne's thread- the unfurling silk that solved the riddle of the labyrinth- Mary Katrantzou leads us to the solution of a puzzle of her own devising, mapping her own devising, mapping her own aesthetic voyage.