Damir Doma S/S 2010
Last Friday, I had the pleasure of attending Damir Doma’s installation for his S/S 2010 collection. The Croatian-born, Parisian-based designer held an event for New York fashion week, exhibiting select items from his collection, in addition to a video display of his most recent runway show held this past July.
I recently became fan of Doma’s after discovering his collection last season—only the designer’s second, after launching his label in 2007. Damir has quickly established a name for himself and a strong following by challenging the boundaries of menswear. The designer’s progressive collections use techniques not often explored in menswear, from billowing silhouettes to asymmetrical drapings. I appreciate the designer for his very apparent point of view. He has evolved each collection from its predecessor allowing each to be very identifiably Damir Doma.
This season, Doma maintains similar silhouettes and his seeming inspiration from nomadic people; however, he supplements this collection with more tailored pieces and what appears to be influences from ancient Asia. In addition to the oversized robes and draped cowl necks commonly seen last season, Doma adds structured jackets and fitted pants to create a visually pleasurable contrast of hard and soft. I also see vestiges of ancestral Asian wardrobe, from the Japanese samurai to the Korean rice farmer—borrowing from history to create something incredibly progressive and contemporary. The designer also makes a statement with color this season by adding bold reds to his traditionally muted palette of bone and gray. I interpret the use of red as a message of fortitude. The bold color strangely exudes an aura of strength and masculinity to offset the femininity of the soft drapings and silhouettes. Overall, I was once again pleased by Doma’s collection. He has managed to adhere strongly to the aesthetic of the previous seasons, while still incorporating new elements and without boring his audience.
At the event I also learned that Damir is also experimenting with androgny and commercialism. The designer is slated to release a diffusion collection of ready-to-wear attire, marketed to both men and women. The unisex collection will be less directional / more wearable, and I’m assuming of a lower price point. While the preview of this collection didn’t leave me as inspired as the items shown walking down the runway, I can’t hate on the man for attempting to reach a broader market. People have bills to pay.
Below are some pictures from the installation (once again taken with my shiteous iphone camera), as well as some of my favorite looks from the runway.
The full collection can be found here: http://manindie.ning.com/photo/photo/slideshow?albumId=2392485:Album:12664
