There are few things as sexy as Sigourney Weaver in the penultimate scene of 1979’s Alien. Just as the sci-fi horror is about to come to an end, our protagonist Ripley (in a moment of serenity) strips out of her Nostromo uniform into nothing more than a white vest and briefs. It’s a scene ingrained into any horror-heads brain and must have been on the Natasha Zinko mood board when dreaming up her own space-age odyssey for A/W 24. Expanding on the collection for Cruise 2025, it’s her briefs branded with Natasha Zinko Originals that take centre stage.
‘After you finish a collection, sometimes you have more to say,’ Zinko tells me. ‘It’s not really finished’. Expanding on the intergalactic world she first presented in February, the collection revisits the space suit-inspired silhouettes with rounded, boulder shoulder sleeves. Slightly hunched, the garments evoke a sense of protective armour, blending functionality with a futuristic aesthetic. This time around the signature silhouette is pared back with short pleated skirts and tights. ‘This collection is really about proportions. I played with balance’.
It's a cliche in fashion that bulking silhouettes are all about protection. But for Zinko it’s all about the relationship between the garment and its wearer. ‘It’s security but also domination. It’s protection, but how you wear it depends on your mood’. This notion of domination rings throughout the collection in how longtime collaborator Beverly Johnson styled a waistcoat to constrain models’ arms or the liberal use of bondage straps on jackets injecting the collection with a dose of kink factor.
‘It’s less bright. More rough,’ Zinko explains. While her A/W 24 collection ventured into the realm of the space-age as a glittering utopia, this time around she rooted her designs in the real. Utilitarian workwear takes precedence, with garments designed for both form and function. The pieces are imbued with a sense of practicality, reflecting the gritty, often harsh realities of space travel and exploration. Cargo pants with multiple pockets, heavy-duty jackets, and reinforced seams dominate the collection, emphasising durability and resilience. The acid treatment softens the fibres, to give a worn-in feeling, making it easy for her cult following to seamlessly integrate into their wardrobes.
Of course, it isn’t all doom and gloom with playful elements like her briefs underscoring the designer’s wit and irreverence. Offsetting the otherwise gritty narrative are bags shaped like a pair of Y-fronts from supple leather, injecting moments of levity into an otherwise gritty narrative. It’s a testament to Zinko’s ability to balance function with style, ensuring that each piece tells a story of adaptability and individuality in the face of the unknown.