Jan Philipp Gerlach, up-and-coming Berlin-based menswear designer, grabbed our attention with his ground breaking graduation collection “.JPG” looking at the effect of modern media in contemporary culture and society.
Having recently graduated from Esmod Berlin University of Art, and having worked at J.W.Anderson, Jan has a strong technical foundation which has paved the way for the success of his first collection. A satirical comment on our modern technological world, his collection explores the effect of ceaseless data and hyperdigitization that we face today. Fluctuating between the sacred and the profane, he explores the new discourse emerging between sex and the impact of digital trash.
The collection is built on distortion and discord, whilst simultaneously distilling something sleek and futuristic. The use of reflective, highly structured material, elements of leather, and voluminous silhouettes, creates a collection which is at times distinctly futuristic. Yet the hints of sportswear (running trainers, football socks), and iconic slicked middle parting hark back to the early 90s, referencing an era of technological skepticism; a liminal era on the brink of technological revolution where technology went from something inaccessible, to something commonplace. Perhaps a retrospective view on the dispersion of technology and whether it did truly benefit the world in which we live. His collection is both innovative and daring, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for this talented newcomer.
