Embroidered PVC, couture gowns with zipper closures, and rhinestones spelling out hashtags; Rami Kadi goes back to the future for Spring 2018 couture. Vogue.me reviews the collection and gets the exclusive word from Kadi about how he is blazing his own trial at the couture shows.
The new collection fuses baroque, ’50s Hollywood glamour, and urban streetwear into one remix that sent fashion week critics into a spin. The multiple artistic directions were drawn together by the man behind the maison. After all, charisma has a way of doing that in the world of fashion.
Behind-the-scenes at Rami Kadi Spring 2018 Couture collection preview. Courtesy of Rami Kadi
Springing from his inclusion in the class of 2016 DDFC/Vogue Fashion Prize and training in the ateliers of Rabih Kayrouz and Georges Chakra, Kadi is ever growing in confidence in running his namesake couture house with a so-2018 edge.
Behind-the-scenes at Rami Kadi Spring 2018 Couture collection preview. Courtesy of Rami Kadi
The Arab designer and couturier ushers in the new era of ‘nouvelle couture’. He describes it as a “powerful movement that destroys the status quo and rebels by mixing old practices with new materials and techniques to create new standards.” We see here the fruition of the nouvelle which includes a willingness for high-fashion to explore bold new techniques (case in point: heating plastic embellishments until they unfurl into bugle bead-like shapes for effect) and plastic textures alongside classic silks.
Rami Kadi Couture Spring 2018. Courtesy of Rami Kadi
Here Vogue.me speaks to Rami Kadi:
Describe your new couture collection in three words: Edgy, majestic, and innovative.
Do think there has been a shift in thinking towards couture from an industry perspective? “Of course, we are shifting into ‘nouvelle couture’ a powerful movement that destroys the status quo.
What has been your biggest challenge when it comes to creating couture collections and new directions in a short period of time? “My biggest challenge is to overcome myself and overcome my previous collection.”
Exclusive line drawings of Rami Kadi Couture Spring 2018. Courtesy of Rami Kadi
Tell us how you arrived at the theme for this collection? “I wanted the collection to reveal the personality of the lady wearing, This is her, with hashtags customized to share, express and engage in embroidered crystals on bold black. It’s a chance to let her identity shine and dazzle. To make a statement.”
Do you hope to see your designs worn on the red carpet or more in the wardrobes of private clients? “Both, it’s a success to have both worlds.”
Rami Kadi Couture Spring 2018. Courtesy of Rami Kadi
Rami Kadi Couture Spring 2018. Courtesy of Rami Kadi
Rami Kadi Couture Spring 2018. Courtesy of Rami Kadi
When it comes to new technology fabrics, how do you research them and experiment? “The most mesmerizing thing about my work is the technology in my pieces, it takes a lot of effort, time and experiments to reach the final piece you see in the collection, it’s always about trials and errors to reach the unexpected.”
What advice would you give to a young Arab designer starting out? “Believe in yourself, the sky is the limit.
Finish these sentences. Couture is me. Vogue is Vogue. Rami Kadi is innovative. Elegance is an attitude. Modesty is noble.
Watch the exclusive behind-the-scenes look book from the Rami Kadi Spring 2018 couture collection:
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