“Prometheus Bound,” a painting by Flemish Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens, had designer Jay Song thinking about antiheroes and the unintended consequences of their actions.
Take the mythological figure: he brought fire but also chaos to humanity. For Song, this fit the zeitgeist. “Messy times everywhere,” he told WWD at a preview.
By contrast, his fall collection was highly legible. Traditional and historical Asian garment references were folded adroitly into a contemporary fare of blazers, varsity jackets and wide-leg trousers, bringing new volumes or asymmetrical closures without pastiche.
Silhouettes were oversized and rounded but not monolithic as Song balanced heavily worsted wools, thick knits and other substantial fabrics by shimmery organza panels, vertical or horizontal slashes that lent movement.
“I really tried to match a very theatrical garment and what is considered tailoring,” he said. “So it’s a mix between something one could wear in a villain movie scene and something one could wear casually.”
Many of the pieces featured detachable elements, allowing wearers to determine exactly how much drama they wanted to have in their outfit.
Slotted into the lineup was a sneaker, part of a hookup with Reebok to be released exclusively in South Korea come spring.
As the brand gears up for a global push that will include a Paris flagship and the launch of womenswear, Song continues to chart a handsome course between Eastern inspirations and global relatability.
