BROOD Retrospective

The sky outside my window is an ominous colorless blank. A gray-white that has been leached of all dimenson. Hurricane Sandy is coming, and God help you if you don't have a flashlight and bottled water. As long as the East Coast is hunkered down for the impact, I'm going to make the most of my working Internet connection and share fashion photos.

I first read about BROOD, the new line by up and coming German designer Serkan Sarier, in a tiny magazine column two years ago. Since then, Sarier's utilitarian-silk designs have exploded onto the fashion landscape. His clothes have an elegant-aggressive edge to them, and are interesting from every angle. As chronologically presented by myself:

(Click on the photos to enlarge the detail.)

S/S 2011: Velvet-toned fabrics with a gritty feel, crumpled and twisted into wearable sculptures.

A/W 2011: A tough aristocratic refinement infuses rich brocade-like silks that have been draped, folded, and braided into surprising yet sensible shapes.  

S/S 2012: Vivid purple and orange bleed shibori-like onto a clean white palette, in an asymmetric explosion of sheers, ruchings, and drawstrings. (And the last two are among my most hated fashion elements!) 

 

 

A/W 2012: Here I felt the young designer stumbled, as he made his first venture into prints. Half of the looks could have come out of a Helmut Lang collection, and the whole vision felt scattered. Most compelling were the gold lame pieces. 

 

  

S/S 2013: Sarier seems to have finally broken free of his ruchings and drawstrings to create a vibrant collection of almost psychedelic flower prints, bound in demure-naughty silhouettes inspired by the housewife apron.

 

 

And the craftsmanship is stunning. Just look at this flower print jacket. Alas, the prices do reflect the work that goes into the pieces.

 

 

Part of fashion's appeal is change and evolution, and BROOD's development is one to watch and enjoy.

 

fin