Alessandro Trincone Spring 2019
Gender is a frontier in the early twenty-first century. New York Fashion Week Men’s is not known for non-binary, gender fluid collections. The American spring summer look during the New York shows is fairly affixed to street wear, ripping, toned bodies and one to two steps to the left of Abercrombie and Fitch clutching at the edge of Supreme like vibe. This is why during a hot and short few men’s fashion days Alessandro Trincone’s ‘Avvolgini’ for Spring 2019 was a welcome debut and provoking creative expression reminding us that there are other chapters and experiences in fashion.
The ‘glittering draped’ collection which is one of the loose translations of the collections title was a fashion story of ‘a personal journey which begins by discovering ourselves and ends with the free and resolute choice of self- expression.’ Trincone asks us to be sensitive and show empathy,’ wrap your love around me, is also another loose translation of ‘Avvolgini’. Verbal violence leaves scars and in Trincone’s experience memories of physical violence play into this epistemological collection and experience of looking for help everywhere in vain. Finally help and knowledge came from reconnecting with the self and power within as a form of protection… this is where the clothing’s silhouettes manifested. This collection is a celebration of life and people who find courage to be themselves at any cost. This expression of self was captured in a series of gowns, dresses, and conceptual pieces evoking space oddity glitter, Balenciaga baby doll dresses and floor length floating tiered ruffles. Was this haute couture for men? No, but it was a performative fashion collection, a personal platform looking to the next level, there was a feeling of optimism and bravado, something we understand in New York.
Going all out is an expression of protection for Trincone, the performance of self has a sizable voice, in this collection and at times a bit distracting. Its unfortunate that some of head wear over shadowed some very elegant pieces. There were clothes in this collection beyond the runway styling statements, sequined jackets, and shorts (a must so far for spring 2019), ruffle detail pants and white sleeveless shirts with wide collars and covered button details. The colors were mainly white, silver and gold.
This was a solid debut and it will be interesting to see the growth of the collection and brand, the design vocabulary, nuanced silhouettes, stronger textile sensibilities and the next fashion story Alessandro Trincone has.
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Patrick Michael Hughes is a fashion and decorative arts historian. He writes about fashion culture past and present making connections to New York, London and Copenhagen's fashion weeks with an eye toward men's fashion. He joined IRK Magazine as a fashion men's editor during winter of 2017.
He is often cited as a historical source for numerous pieces appearing in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, LVMH, Conde Nast, Highsnobiety and others. His fashion career includes years as a fashion reporter/producer of branded content for the New York local news in the hyper digital sector. Patrick's love of travel and terrain enabled him to becoming an experienced cross-country equestrian intensively riding in a number of locations in South America Scandinavia,The United Kingdom and Germany. However, he is not currently riding, but rather speaking internationally to designers, product development teams, marketing teams and ascending designers in the US, Europe and China.
Following his BA in the History of Art from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York he later completed graduate studios in exhibition design in New York. it was with the nudge and a conversation in regard to a design assignment interviewing Richard Martin curator of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art he was encouraged to consider shifting his focus to the decorative arts with a concentration in fashion history and curation.
Patrick completed graduate studies 17th and 18th century French Royal interiors and decoration and 18th century French fashion culture at Musée Les Arts Decoratifs-Musée de Louvre in Paris. Upon his return to New York along with other classes and independent studies in American fashion he earned his MA in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from the Parsons/Cooper Hewitt Design Museum program in New York. His final specialist focus was in 19th century English fashion and interiors with distinction in 20th century American fashion history and design.
Currently, he is an Associate Teaching Professor at Parsons School of Design leading fashion history lecture-studios within the School of Art and Design History and Theory,
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