From The Straits Times    |
AFF 2013: Parco Next Next

Singapore Fashion Week 2013: AFF 2013 and Blueprint 2013

SINGAPORE – It was a full house attendance at the Parco next next show on May 18, as droves of fans and invited guests turned up in support for eight young Singapore designers.

And the show brought along plenty of surprises: from beatboxing, burlesque dancing to girls rollerblading down the runway, these designers brought plenty of youthful spunkiness to the runway.

AFF 2013: Parco Next Next
The Parco next next showcase finale march at Audi Fashion Festival 2013. ALL PHOTOS: WESLEY KOW

Held at the Audi Fashion Festival 2013, the show was presented by fashion incubator project Parco next next — the selected group of young Singapore designers receive the opportunity to create, retail and show their seasonal collections not only in-store at Parco Millenia but at prestigious events such as this annual fashion week as well.

This year’s show features the Spring / Summer 2013 collections of eight Singapore labels from the outgoing 2012/ 2013 batch of emerging designers at Parco next next.

 

Rêvasseur
After an unexpected beatboxing introduction, a trio of burlesque dancers shimmied their way along the runway before the Rêvasseur Spring / Summer 2013 began.

While the dancers had seemingly no relation the brand’s very nautical collection, the performance was in line with Rêvasseur’s joie de vivre design philosophy.

In an earlier email interview, designer Gilda Su shared that she designs “for the Isabella Blows and the Anna Piaggis that live amongst us”, in reference to the eclectic style of the two fashion icons.

Besides having a lifelong craze for the “nautical look”, Su’s inspiration for this collection was fuelled by the New York’s Fleet Week. For that one week in New York, ships would dock and millions of sailors would descend on Manhattan in their distinctive sailing uniforms and caps.

AFF 2013: Parco Next Next
Rêvasseur Spring Summer 2013 at Audi Fashion Festival 2013

Titled as “Ships Ahoy!”, Su embraced the obvious seafaring theme with sailor caps and all manner of nautical motifs, stripes, navy emblems and insignia on graphic tees, skirts and legging pants. An exception was a tongue-in-cheek black mesh dress, with hearts on the bodice. But with a stripe [striped?] jacket slung over, the Rêvasseur model look just as ready for some nautical-style fun.

Even by Su’s occasionally extravagant standards, the looks for this season remained very wearable, whether for hot summer weekends or in Su’s words, the sexy splendour of “ yacht parties, a cocktail and Russian Red lipstick”.

 

Coupé-Cousu
The Spring / Summer 2013 line looks to the stars and beyond for inspiration. Starry gold glitter sparkled on pants and bright shirts of the season; panels of gold added to that “space man”, sci-fi inspired look.

AFF 2013: Parco Next Next
Coupé-Cousu Spring / Summer 2013 at Audi Fashion Festival 2013

Tailored shirts, well-fitted pants and clean lines keep the look smart. The more sedate pieces featured just touches of the outer-space inspiration with gold zippers and buckles.

Designed with the man about town in mind, these pieces expand on what the brand focusing on the classic pieces it does best; with leanings of David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust persona shining over the collection.

 

kaehana
By this designer’s creative maxim, fashion should be made for women of all sizes and shapes.

AFF 2013: Parco Next Next
kaehana Spring / Summer 2013 at Audi Fashion Festival 2013

In Kae Hana’s bid to demonstrate that prints can be for everyone, the designer of her eponymous label had also included her fans and friends in her model line-up for Audi Fashion Festival. She too, took to the runway; instead of taking the traditional final bow at the end of the show, the Singapore designer walked the talk in a complete look from her Spring / Summer 2013 line.

This season’s “Ride the Winds” collection integrates popular “camouflage” patterns with a touch of the Orient. Stylised phoenix motifs and zebra stripes meet in the key graphic prints of her collection.

 

20:TWOTHREE
This Singapore fashion label is big on androgynous fashion. To illustrate their point that anyone could wear their unisex collection, the label sent all models down the runway with plastic “masks” obscuring most of their faces.

AFF 2013: Parco Next Next
20:TWOTHREE Spring/ Summer 2013 at Audi Fashion Festival 2013

Models also walked down in an intentionally, arduously languid pace, bringing to mind the emotionless and immaculately dressed clones in 1982 film, Blade Runner.

Most looks from the monochrome collection were wearable and minimalistic, save for a reversible, asymmetrical sweater with curved flaps; the additional detail made the look a little less polished.

 

WSDM
With more men taking an interest in the clothes on their backs, the word “metrosexual” is often bandied around these days.

And it seems indeed, that menswear label WSDM is targeting the modern day dandy — pastels, bright neon and polka dots are seen all over its Spring Summer 2013 line. If Coupé-Cousu is the dandy’s answer to classic suits, WSDM covers their weekend wear.

AFF 2013: Parco Next Next
WSDM Spring / Summer 2013 at Audi Fashion Festival 2013

While the shades used are bold and eye-catching, the silhouettes are kept simple with boatneck tees and crisp one shirts. The result: wearable pieces for those metrosexuals in town.

 

Lion Earl
Singapore designer Lionel Low’s third Lion Earl collection continues with its skin-tight emphasis to the female form. This time, Low looks to the troves of science fiction, add clean, geometric shapes to his graphic prints for the season.

AFF 2013: Parco Next Next
Lion Earl Spring / Summer 2013 at Audi Fashion Festival 2013

TRON the original 1982 film, serves as the primary source of inspiration for this “Moon Crust” Spring / Summer 2013 collection. Sleek racer lines are seen on his bandage dresses, bringing to mind an almost spacesuit look. A graphic print adapted from Low’s photos of crushed paper add visual interest to the dresses.  

The dramatic pleated peplum seen first in Spring Summer 2012 also returns in this year’s collection, paired this time with graphic print tights.

 

evenodd
Dots of all shapes and sizes abound in Evenodd’s latest collection.

AFF 2013: Parco Next Next
evenodd Spring / Summer 2013 at Audi Fashion Festival 2013

Evenodd Designer Samuel Wong of evenodd explained that he’d began first, with metal paillettes on a shirt; thereafter, his obsession with dots took over the predominantly menswear line.

 

Mash-Up
As an opening act, the fun-loving Singapore streetwear brand sent a trio of their affectionately-termed “chili padi girls” down the runway in rollerblades, much to the delight of the cheering audience.

AFF 2013: Parco Next Next

Mash-Up Spring / Summer 2013 at Audi Fashion Festival

The sight was not unusual for Mash-Up; last year, friends of the label walked down the runway for Mash-Up’s fashion presentation at Audi Fashion Festival 2012, sending hi-fives as they walked past the professional models.   

AFF 2013: Parco Next NextMash-Up Spring / Summer 2013 at Audi Fashion Festival

The Singapore label continues its palette of highlighter shades and tongue-in-cheek graphic prints inspired by tribal patterns, “coded messages” and pop culture references. Key prints of the season include leopard print on denim, loud tribal prints and circuit boards integrated into the label’s oversaturated colour palette.

The Parco next next showcase 2013 took place on May 18 at the Audi Fashion Festival 2013, Read about the Parco next next 2012 showing at Audi Fashion Festival here.

The Audi Fashion Festival 2013 is held at The Tent@Marina Promenade at Marina Promenade Turn, behind the Singapore Flyer from May 15 to May 19, 2013.

For more information, go to http://audifashionfestival.com/, or follow Audi Fashion Festival on Twitter and Facebook.