Act N.1 RTW Spring 2024
This was such a poetic, thoughtful collection so why hold it in an underground boxing gym? The venue was warm, reeked from the rubber floor and was a strange setting for a collection full of soft edges, tulle and printed silk.
First, though, the news. Founders Luca Lin and Galib Gassanoff have parted ways and Lin is now in charge of creativity, and strategy for the label which debuted at Milan Fashion Week in 2018.
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It has since caught the eye of Valentino, which supported and promoted the label last September, and won much well-deserved support from the Italian fashion industry.
Act N.1 wants to promote inclusivity and multiculturalism, and this season was no exception. Models of all ages walked the show, wearing genderless designs and similar zombie makeup as they shuffled slowly towards a boxing ring-style stage.
Lin said he wanted to use the underground gym, and the boxing ring, to represent the frenzied pace of life and to speak out against underage, enforced marriage for young girls.
Models dressed in everyday clothing walked slowly around the room and mounted the stage, which became ever more crowded during the course of the show. The melancholy music was live and came from an erhu, an ancient Chinese fiddle with two strings.
The brand is best known for its dramatic, maximalist tulle pieces, crossed with tailoring, and this season was no exception. Lin worked sheer tulle into everyday items such as roomy cargo pants and tailored jackets with visible shoulder pads, while the sheer, baby pink trench was a standout.
Roomy silk blouses and baggy, rolled trousers came in bright colors and prints, while Lin took denim to great heights, adding distressed, dirty-looking finishes to jeans, whipping the fabric into structured corsets; and adding big patch pockets to XXL jeans.
One pair of jeans was layered under a bright green ruffled tulle gown: it was a one-stop look for the party, and the after party.
The bride appeared with a huge, elaborate veil like an overblown halo; rolled white trousers, and a workwear jacket that was tied around her waist. After stepping into the ring, she dumped her bouquet on the ground, closing the show in dramatic fashion.
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Launch Gallery: Act N.1 RTW Spring 2024
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