For Fall/Winter 2020, Ernest W. Baker takes inspiration from the American Pop culture phenomenon of the late 1970s. Focusing on the opposing energies of the time, contrasting depravity and decadence, the traditional with avant-guard, the epitome of the movement can be found in the iconic anomaly of Studio 54. The club emitted feelings of both freedom and elegance, grit and glamour combining to create a kitsch, futuristic luxury that was unseen for the time. Coming through dark times, the thought was forward-thinking with an optimism for a renewal of possibilities for the future. The collection aims to portray a retro-futuristic sentiment, exploring the glorification of modernism from this era, creating a fantasy of what it might have felt like to be lucky enough to pass through the velvet ropes of the club. A reference is made to the mix of characters that entered through those doors; the way they dressed, the way they walked and talked and posed, possibly in anticipation of a New Year’s Eve celebration and a restoration of optimism.

Building on this fantasy, the collection is as appropriate now as it was then, a dark yet elegant reality brought to life by the photography of Vladimir Kaminetsky and styling of Mauricio Nardi.