There’s no denying the power functionality and utility-wear have had in the fashion industry. Since luxury households have adapted to craft-good-to-feel-better lines that are advanced in style (or call it versatile, if you may), functional wear has been infiltrating the mainstream consciousness of consumer (think hype), with designers and brands alike reacting to this new acceptance of genres. Particularly in the menswear market, Pariah Farzaneh’s codes are becoming increasingly blurred between function and innovation.
“Stop what you’re doing. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Forget where you are, what you’re doing, and why you’re reading this. Take a moment to look inside: do you know what you stand for? Do you know what you believe in? Do you know who you are and what you’re proud of?”
A setting that felt adequate for Spring, however, it had elements of the unforeseen. An invitation, or better, an equation that resonated with her loyal crusaders. This time, it was different. The show took place in the whimsical scenery of Amersham: guests were sat on blue dots and told to keep their distance. First, the music pumped. Secondly, a moment of silence. Then, the loud thumps. “In the wake of this worldwide shift, what we ‘once knew’ doesn’t resonate anymore,” highlights Farzaneh, implying a shift in mindfulness might be the sole way forward to enact real change. With this in mind, Number.6, Farzaneh’s issued her latest collection, which sees the perfect marriage between mindful thinking and ethical craftsmanship.
Now, onto the clothes. The 20-piece array fuses performance fabrics with the aesthetics of the premium brand in the form of tees, running leggings, sweatshirts, and longline jackets. Again, no excess: but a succinct stream of conscious production. Features such as paneling and displaced seams are added for comfort, while breathable nylons and Dry-Tech technology offer the same quality as more upmarket alternatives. A military Trompe-l’oeil clearly sprung to the mind when summing up Spring/Summer 2021, and one just needs to glance at the model to understand why. It’s fair to say she deemed her clothes from a wider angle, contributing to the argument of fashion’s new era. “In the last few months, the world as we know it has seen great resistance, upsets, and realizations […] We cannot force others to change their mindsets and their beliefs, but we can plant the seed for a new perspective; we can start the process, we can start the conversations.” Wistful? Maybe.
With looks dappled in vigor, garments are posed with militant confidence and don’t-give-a-fuck raised chins against an army-tent-esque canvas of humans splashed in pangs of green and brown. Labeling this collection as solely military influenced, however, would be a false judgment.
It’s no fallacy she’s been reflecting on society at large, then.
Paria Farzaneh unveiled its Spring/Summer 2021 collection during London Fashion Week.
