The Front Row

This is one of the most aesthetically pleasing runway shows I have had the pleasure of viewing in a long time.

Ana González, who has been acclaimed by public and critic and awarded with the `L’Oreal Paris´ for the best young SS’03 collection in 2002 of the Madrid Fashion Week, and the `Gran Prix of Fashion Marie Claire´ for the Best National Designer in 2004 (Ana Locking 2014), founded her new Label Ana Locking and with her first collection ‘Reentry’ FW08-09 won the `L’Oreal Paris Award´ for the Best Collection of the Madrid Fashion Week (Ana Locking 2014).

 

Gonzalez states that the inspiration behind this particular collection resides in the title “American Landscape”. The primitive American dream represents the desire to start from scratch and eventually own land and call it home (Ana Locking 2014). Thus simply “American Landscape” isn’t about the mythical pioneer, but rather about the path that is still taken today across that immense American land in search of a new life, the freedom to choose, and finding the means to continue living (Ana Locking 2014).

 

When researching Ana Gonzalez these particular words of hers grabbed my attention, “Creating fashion is like casting spells, one has to veer away from the paved road, concentrate, gather the ingredients and prepare a new enchanting spell once again.”

 

Fittingly , this particular runway show made me feel enchanted and spell drunk (A new word I invented to declare the ultimate feeling of being absorbed by magical fashion), her texture, prints and finer details were all brought together to create a real life mirage.

 

The fabrics used co-in sided with her inspiration. The lurex tweed, the double-sided denim with wool. The double-sided neoprene with different trimmings, from satin trimming on the tailored pieces to cotton trimming with two colours for the more ready-to-wear pieces (Ana Locking 2014).

 

The synthetic hair with tweed detailing in lines of colour. The knit with enhanced embossing. The houndstooth with geometric lines. The printed woollen cloths. The ostrich feathers. The double-sided sequins with a matte finishing for a coarser effect and hand-made embroideries with sequins sewn to the edge (Ana Locking 2014).

 

It is evident that this collection was well thought out & had a solid core inspiration that brought together the idea of travelling and the rich deep tones of the American landscape with materials to match the specific climate.

 

The Colour Palette lends itself towards representing the American continent with, Yellowstone’s oxide colour, Arizona’s orange colour, Utah’s ocre colour, Yosemite’s green, Maine’s aquamarine, Dakota’s grey, Las Vegas’s green lurex, Texas’s cow print, The Chrysler building’s metallic colour, the black oil colour and blue denim colour comprise the colour palette of "American Landscape"(Ana Locking 2014).

 

What is so great about this collection is that it feeds of the previous garment, in a collection of 39 outfits it is hard not to repeat ideas, finishes and colours and yet you need to have a cohesive range. Looking at her outfits in a linear formation each garment grows into the next one, it’s simply magical.

 

One particular detail  stood out for me and that was her use in pocket detailing, pocket positioning as well as zip positioning, truly remarkable how these details are so well thought out and work so well within the garment. From witnessing this runway show I have been able to understand the importance of cohesiveness, and how stripes and contrast panels, if placed strategically, can illuminate a garment.

 

All in all the runway show leaves you with an alluring feeling of wanderlust.

 

 

 

Reference List

Text

•  Ana Locking (online). 2015. Available: http://www.analocking.com/en/biografia.html (Accessed 12th December 2014).

• Ana Locking (online). 2015. Available: http://www.analocking.com/en/oi1415i.html (Accessed 12th December 2014).

Video

• Ana Locking. 2014. American landscape (online). Available: http://www.analocking.com/en/video/oi1415video.html (Accessed 12th December 2014).