EFE
06/19/2019
Madrid, Jun 18 (EFE).- Palomo Spain opened Paris Men's Fashion week Tuesday with his hallmark androgynous silhouettes and quirky details that continue to challenge menswear.
"Pompeii", Alejandro Gómez Palomo's spring-summer 2020 collection was a mash-up of Pink Floyd's 1970s psychedelia with Ancient Rome's gladiator aesthetic.
"We are going to witness a seventies psychedelic narrative that has its origins in Pink Floyd and the 'Live from Pompeii' concert," Palomo told Efe Tuesday.
"We have created a sort of civilization of men that have been buried under ash for years and now emerge into the future encountering everything that is new," the designer added.
As the men "awoke from the ashes" they stormed the runway sporting gladiator sandals that had become boots in white PVC.
Armour was softened as models wore shields made of crochet with long-flowing tassels.
Bermuda shorts were given a luxurious revamp in sumptuous silks with pretty embroidery detailing.
Palomo, who has featured at Paris Men's Fashion Week since 2017 as well as Madrid and New York, still makes all his creations from his studio in his hometown village of Posadas, Córdoba (southern Spain).
His show in Paris was received with much anticipation.
Around a hundred guests, many international reporters and close friends flocked to the Spanish Ambassador's residence decorated with large Goya tapestries on its walls, for Palomo's return to the capital of fashion.
"Since the last runway show, with those extravagant hats, Palomo was an essential presentation for this season," a photographer told Efe.
Models walked the catwalk with sassiness, swinging their arms to show off the movement of the elongated, fringed designs.
Palomo encouraged the men as they strutted exclaiming "Gorgeous! That's the way to move!"
"Paris is definitely a place of dreams, when you return to Paris you realize that here is where fashion was born," Palomo mused.
"You can breathe it in the street, that respect and taste for fashion," the designer added.
Paris has become a home away from home for Palomo, and he makes the most of his visits to meet old friends at the glamorous Manko Cabaret.
It is also the place where the designer first developed his career in high fashion.
"Haute couture is what got me into fashion and nowadays it only really exists in Paris," Palomo said.
"We get close to it (haute couture) with all the manual work but it will never become a Parisien haute couture house. I would, of course, love to work at one, be able to go through the archives and work with such incredible teams," the Spaniard continued.
Palomo's latest collection indeed is luxurious, with an abundance of exquisite fabrics – linens, leather, embroidery, crochet with encrusted precious stones and lace which features heavily in the necklines and floaty sleeves.
The color palette is surprisingly muted in earthy tones of beige and whites although there were various pieces in deep shades of mauve and black.
The collection is through-and-through Palomo, especially one set of designs in a sheer fabric that in a checkerboard print and a faux marble pattern that then becomes a long blouse with black feathers and matching trousers in an even more sheer fabric.
"It has been a delightful collection!" Director of the Association of Spanish Fashion Designers Pepa Bueno, who was perched on the frow, the told Efe.
Palomo, 27, has published a book, exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, has been a firm fixture on international runways and has dressed many celebrities.
"The future is very hopeful and pretty," he said.
"Now I just want this dream to become a reality, for this brand to become part of the life of people so that we can continue to work for many more years," he concluded.
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