Patrick Michael Hughes Senior Fashion Editor Men's Fashion Writer
Photographs JORDANLUCA
JORDANLUCA Fall 2023 was full on... out there... the designs are stronger and more dynamic than ever. The London based design duo Jordan Bowen and Luca Marchetto presented a exceptional Milan Fashion Week collection. The atmosphere of the show hit the brand's mark. It was presented in a nearly pitch black industrial space flooded with search, strobe and spot light illumination. The site was covered in graffiti and sound echoed off of walls the concrete architecture. It was like going home to one of the brand's earlier collections in London pre- pandemic.
The Fall 2023 collection "explores aesthetic contrast and contradiction to reflect the times we live in. Smartphone technology means that, more than ever, we connect with each other and make meaning through images and iconography. There is barely any meaningful separation between on-and off-screen life."
This part of the JORDANLUCA's collection statement was reinforced by exaggerated silhouettes and encompassing volume. Large sloping shoulders, long lapels,tremendously full cut trousers highlighted tailoring and celebration of a general excess of fabrication. The collection's design aesthetic was a 'cup that runneth over' with hearty luxury and an indulgence of fabric weights for the forthcoming fall season. Well tuffted corduroy, intarsia to fringed detailed knits, tweeds, check and Prince of Wales plaid details abound. The elongated body is a fashion statement.
JORDANLUCA has made the suit cool again for a new generation looking to dress up without looking back to slender Italian cuts. These silhouettes are fully fashioned modern structures with a fresh statement about the body and the changed stride made wearing clothing crafted in volume. It's a style arrival and the shift in time.
JORDANLUCA further looked to the writings of a Slovenian philosopher, cultural theorist and London based Director of Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities at the University of London and a visiting professor at New York University. Simplified, he is a disciple of Hagel for those lost in German idealism, trans-continental narratives and heady academics. The brand iterated "Slavoj Žižek reminds us that we are living in a weird moment, when multiple catastrophes – global warming, pandemics, social tension, the prospect of complete digital control of our thinking and the rise of extremism – are all competing for primacy. Which one will be our downfall? Or will we outrun them all?"
The collection had connective ideation to this is when the Bowen and Marchetto's offering is looked at in its totality. The inclusion of gender-less skirts on male models and the brand's Queer and British subculture communities were also present and accounted for in the ranks of the Fall season's collection. There were looks underscoring the Milan Fashion Week Fall 2023 fascination with sex, fetish and voyeurism.
JORDANLUCA's collaboration with LONSDALE a 'British sports equipment, textile and footwear brand focused on boxing and mixed martial arts.' Their jock straps are iconic and have been fully observed and peeking out at waistlines for decades on numerous Gay nightclub dance floors and leather bars globally. JORDANLUCA re-claims the style for Fall 2023 by stacking the waistband label to the lower mid-section. The logo was also emblazoned on sports knits, jackets, knee -length shorts and boots. The stacked logo was also visible through a fitted, sheer white column dress with a whimsical butterfly print, also a recurring motif and perhaps metaphoric that this collection not about a cocoon.
Further significant fashion inclusions of note, was the colorful camouflage in unexpected fall color of shocking pink black and berry tones. The print was seen in outerwear, a billowing pair of trousers and shorts. Striped and reptile skin printed trousers in strong colors furthered an almost New Wave/ Romantic style to the collection. In terms of accessories cowboy boots inspired shoes with angular retakes on the classic affirm the post- pandemic New York Times 2023 fashion decree that shoelaces are out of fashion. However, a buyers note is that medium width ties are back in fashion.
This was a wonderful collection form JORDANLUCA, and IRK is proud to say 'we remember when' ... the brand is still London style and has that subculture British essence on a much larger well earned and deserved fashion stage.
Stylist: Samia Giobellina @samiagiobellina
Casting: IM Casting @irene_manicone
Hair: Anthony Turner @anthonyturnerhair
Make-up: Inge Grognard @ingegrognard
Music: Joshua James @djjoshuajames
Movement Director: Tom Eyes @blackhaine
Jewellery: @_conorjoseph_
Art Director: William Ndatira @williamcult
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