Under the whir of the passing of the 6 train above, Julie Kegels presented a woman in motion as a commentary on both the expectations placed on her, and the little tricks one does to perform the magic of femininity every day.
Emerging from an apartment door to the whispering of women’s inner thoughts (32 participated in the project), interspersed with a good dose of Stevie Nicks’ “Dreams,” the show unfolded like a day — awaking from a dream, out the door half ready, running to work, then to a party. For Kegels, it was an expression of transformation.
Backstage, she said her mantra for the past year has been “change change change,” and she worked it into the collection in clever ways. Clothes appeared thrown on, with skirts accidentally tucked into the back tights, shapes stretched out and bra straps exposed, and all had an air of being undone.
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The young Belgian designer has played with the female form since launching her line two years ago, with a quirkiness that would be right at home at Miu Miu.
She also explored a pointy-shouldered silhouette, which invoked clothes being snatched off of a laundry line. Everyone is in a hurry to get to the next thing, either work, or an event or a party. Kegels studied the quick-change techniques used by stage magicians to transform outfits mid-runway, with models unfurling hooks or snaps to reveal lingerie tops, or pulling netting over a cotton skirt, creating puffy hip pads and a ballgown shape.
Kegels also said she had originally wanted to use high jewelry for the runway show, but upon discovering the cost, she came up with the idea of using 3D-printed fabric stickers depicting the desired stones. It added to the air of insouciant imperfection, and models moved with ease.
It was all meant as a nod to the variety of roles women are expected to perform. “There’s always expectations and high pressure,” she said. “But I also don’t think that we have to hide it away and [should] just be proud of all this change and transformation. We have other identities.”
As a fashion week opener, it was a great way to wake up.