There was a lot of excitement at last night’s Craig Green show. It seems that the world is hard pushed to find an individual who doesn’t support Green and his designs. His creations and depth of reference inspire many a budding designer and many a current designer too. This was Green’s first time showing outside of London and one of the first opportunities for longtime fans who don’t often see Green’s show in the flesh. Pitti had been awash with anticipation.
Set in the romantic Boboli Gardens, Green’s show was a statement to behold. The gardens themselves were a lush, green Italian paradise and Green’s choosing of such a location felt like a subtle ode to Florence. This romanticism was given a temperate twang with large cloth structures that hung in the space. Much like those seen at his A/W 18 show, these were less predictable, yet more sporadic.
The theme here was perspective. Green had created tricks to manipulate the eye. The large cloth dividers, of which models moved throughout, acted as a tool for tunnel vision. You saw what Green wanted you to see, when he wanted you to see it. And we wanted to see it all. The typical tropes of a Green show, or indeed his core collection, were all present. His trademark string fastenings and structural sculptures transported one back to London and the first three full white looks with red cables were some of the best. But again, this is not all that meets the eye. On the bright looks that mimicked static screen lines, Green had layered cotton, acid washing layers so that the top moves lighter than the base. Genius.
The final looks were a mille-feuille of illusion. A layer of cheap lycra, printed and covered with a layer of organza, covered with a layer of mesh - when viewed altogether with the same print - all three the same image - the garment appeared to be luxury 3D. In reality? It’s a naturally vibrating masterpiece.
Some looks were overshadowed, some looks were absolute gold dust. The new bright colours were electric when merged with the functionality that flows each season. For S/S 19, consistency met innovation in a way only Craig Green can create.