Hood by Air is one of the hottest street labels of the moment, so a level of curiosity was almost guaranteed to accompany the brand’s first Paris presentation. It was billed as part two of what designer Shayne Oliver had already unveiled at New York Fashion Week. The emphasis here was on women’s; the invite — a lace-trimmed thong — signaled just such message.
“This is a ‘femme’ take on the energy we produced in New York,” Oliver said backstage. “It’s flashier, with details that are louder, to show off a little bit.”
If part one was the “ego,” he added, this was the “superego,” which was also the name of the lineup. Pretentious? Ya think?
That feeling extended to the event. Staged on an abandoned, raw office floor at Montparnasse Tower, it featured models scattered across the space in small vignettes and posing suggestively.
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The clothes, meanwhile, captured a similar vibe as that of the men’s show with leather jackets, vests and cropped tops.
Several of the looks felt overworked, especially those with cutouts and pants that were sliced up to the waist. One shirt, which featured the initials “HBA” in glittery crystals across the front, was cut open on both sides and held together with metal hooks. The top was paired with shorts and a zippered, pleated overlay that was neither skirt nor pants, just a layer. It was at once blingy and tough, as well as provocative in its punk edge.
These pieces may not be intended for a work environment, but Oliver wouldn’t mind if they ended up there. As he put it, they’d make “the office a bit more fun.”