Up-Close at Tranoï

Nine designers included in Tranoï at the Palais de Tokyo answer the fundamental, unavoidable, most obvious question of all: Tell us about a concept or idea you have explored this season?

8IGB

“This season, 8IGB takes you underwater. The brand presents garments that simulate fish textures, colours, and patterns, creating silhouettes halfway between mermaid and surfer. The main inspiration is the shark’s fin that appears on pocket flaps or knee pads. Technically made activewear materials meet sequins, organza and chiffon to  create a the balance between fluidity and stiffness. With this collection, 8IGB wants to bring attention to the question of ocean pollution, and raising the awareness of preserving the creatures living in it. We wanted to differentiate our production method by collaborating with a French atelier near Paris called ESPERO atelier, where we produced some upcycling pieces using hand embroidery and hand finishings.”

David Catalan

“This collection is inspired by the late ’60s/early ’70s dance scene in the New York boroughs of Harlem and Brooklyn. In the aftermath of the civil rights struggle, these communities came together in authentic cultural hubs, such as the Harlem Renaissance, where musicians, designers, photographers, and myriad artists brought African American culture to the mainstream. This was an iconic moment in fashion, which marked individuality, irreverence, and genre fluidity of genres.”

David Tlale

“Female inclusion is gradually increasing in all industries across the globe. This allows us to neutralise common practices to better understand gender fluid dress and how it will adapt to a future men’s aesthetic. The main question prior to the development of this collection was what the future of menswear will be – an exploratory concept that inspired us to adapt womenswear into men’s fashion. This collection includes adaptions of feminine features into the male silhouette, offering textures commonly associated with womenswear. Change in the context of inclusivity opens doors to better days by motivating garments that communicate aesthetic progression and relief from constricted ways of dress. Thus, we say and present the theme for Spring Summer: Let the Good Times Roll.”

Daniel Gayle, de DENZILPATRICK.

“Thinking about my experiences growing up in London’s comprehensive school system during the ’90s. Trying to understand my place, understand my queerness, navigate the desire for acceptance in this institution whilst holding on to a sense of self. Upon that final summer graduation, freedom and self-realisation as I took flight into the city, where fragilities can become your greatest strengths. And so Spring Summer 2023 became a journey into my youth, my experiences, my dreams. And so came the fantasy: London Belongs to Me.”

De Pino

“The spirit of the collection follows the idea of trying on old dresses from the archives of a couture house. The silhouettes are born from this dialogue between past and present. A personal, everyday wardrobe matched with cocktail dresses and evening gowns.”

Estelita Mendonça

“After the pandemic, we started wondering about the idea of movement and how this could be counted. The concept of transformation, of change within the movement. The way people, nations and concepts move and transform during time. We tried to interpret this idea using layering of different materials and colours, exposing seams and finishes almost as some pieces were still in transformation. Contrast stitches and textures in the same piece and the use of transparency and opacity were also used to develop this idea. In pieces like the Ampere T-shirt, you can see the zigzag embroidery linking various points as if it was a trajectory between them. We rubberised caps and some seams by hand to create a wet look. In terms of colour, we have a neutral background where some strong colours pop. There is a sportswear feeling in the collection that also hints at movement.”

Huarte

“Destination Unknown is the Spring Summer 2023 collection from Huarte. It celebrates freedom, that feeling of arriving at an airport and taking the first flight without a fixed destination. To put aside the routine, the stress and all that daily pressure with all we manage. The details that are already part of the brand’s DNA are reflected in these looks: mixed qualities, denim, unisex pieces. It’s a traditional and classic male wardrobe that turns out to be deconstructed and funny somehow – one that also introduces utilitarian and recreational pieces to complete this collection.”

LYPH

“The base ideas and themes of the collection were built around Bob Dylan’s 1975 tour, Rolling Thunder which became our title. Back then, it was considered to mean Speaking the Truth. We teamed this with a longing to travel back to Japan and the U.S. To merge Asian traditional with Western; kimono with cowboy; and explore pop cultures. There’s upcycled surplus layered with animal print and recycled polyester track suits. Penny loafers with kids’ recycled beads. There’s this idea of chaos for that new forward-thinking society. The result is a brand embracing the now in a sophisticated manor. Our idea of Rolling Thunder: to speak the truth, to live young and play hard.”

MWORKS

“’Boys in shorts love flowers’: This slogan appeared on a vintage T-shirt found at a flea market in Brussels and became the starting point of the collection. This sentence was very catchy, simple, and direct, exactly the tone MWORKS wanted around its unstructured summer wardrobe. This season we collaborated with Debeaulieu, a famous Parisian based artisan florist. Debeaulieu has imagined a floral motif with real flowers in his atelier. MWORKS then took pictures of the creation. We cut into the pictures to create all the pieces making up the clothes. A project mixing different disciplines: flower arrangement, photography, sustainability and, of course, fashion!”

These interviews have been lightly edited for clarity.