The winner of last season’s Designer for Tomorrow contest hosted by Peek & Cloppenburg and Marc Jacobs, Leandro Cano, presented his very first own fashion show on the catwalk at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin on Tuesday evening.
And he showed the most impressive and inspirational collection by far.
Right from the start, a voice reading an excerpt of the story of Azaril, the angel of death, a melancholic, slightly romantic yet powerful tone is set. Fog covering the floor unveils the first look, a tall figure in slim white pants and a transparent cape covered in floral porcelain ornaments, creating a clinking sound that blends in perfectly with the moody soundtrack.More white outfits follow, white porcelain covering parts of them, structured fabrics, clear plastic on nude or white items, a constant play with transparency, volume, contrasting materials and silhouettes unfolds.
Tiny spots of colored porcelain announce a change in atmosphere, suddenly there are deep red colored creations strutting down the catwalk that by now has changed into a stage, leaving the audience with a feeling of actually being part of a story from long forgotten times.
Partly hidden underneath a huge crocheted construction a model appears like a mythical figure, followed by a leather dress/cape combination that is effortlessly elegant. And then the secret of the porcelain pieces is revealed as there appears a baroque-like dress, covered in floral patterns of which some are meticulously crafted into three dimensional objects, clinking, chiming away as the model walks.
The floral pattern covers clean and simple coats, short dresses jutting out from the waist and is combined with that transparent plastic again, creating beautiful, modern pieces. And then the show is over. The final walk of a seemingly endless number of models is a reminder of the complexity of the collection.
Encore! you want to shout. And take a closer look at all those wondrous pieces. Thank you very much Mr. Cano! That really was an amazing show to witness.
Photography by Ariane Stippa
