Do Not Comply

"Mainstream labels veil their marketing strategies with popular ideology, and their creatives speculate on trendy themes, in an effort to satisfy well-versed fashion insiders"

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This is Irina Dzhus’ bold, slightly scathing, opening statement in relation to her latest collection.

We have featured the Ukrainian label several times and this collection doesn't deviate from her previous collections, with her signature architectural structures, pointed hoods and geometrical cuts in textural fabrics contained within a muted, neutral palette of black and shades of concrete.

Irina explains that "distinctive products don’t need an exciting story in support, neither they pretend to be anything but unique yet perfectly wearable apparel designs."

With no story to backup the collection, I have to conclude is that it is simply a continuation of what we've seen in her previous collections - her innovative cutting systems, her play on volumes and silhouettes, surfaces and voids, contours and textures, and what the designers says is an "alternative to the fashion conformism".

Without a doubt this designer has an exceptional talent for manipulating both patterns and fabrics, and I absolutely applaud her stand against fashion conformity. I am extremely curious to see what else this talented designer can do. I know she can create challenging shapes, pointed hoods and squared off shoulders, but I wonder if there are further routes to be explored? I would love to see her 

use her exceptional skills and show us something we haven't seen from her yet. 

A strong signature style can work really well for many labels of course. It has worked perrectly for the likes of Rick Owens, for example, who couldn't deviate from his signature look even if he wanted to, lest legions of fans would shrivel up and die, but I wonder if a fledgling, relatively unknown label can successfully do the same?

I'll certainly be watching Dzhus with great interest. I suspect this fashion anarchist might just throw us a curve ball when we least expect it.