We Can’t Believe It’s Not Fur! Area’s FW23 Ready-To-Wear And Couture Collection Stuns NYFW
Images Courtesy of Area
For many, the most exciting part of following creative directors of their favorite brands is dissecting the references they decide to use in each collection. Themes and inspiration are essential in fashion and encourage buyers to form connections to the artistry walking down the runway. Area’s current director, Piotrek Panszcyk, decided to start from scratch…the beginning of time.
“Where did it all begin?” was a question Panszcyk shared with Vogue that he had in mind as he worked on Area’s fall collection. Panszcyk referred to the initial days of humanity and the first things “Humans had to build an identity around.”
He continued to share this vision with Vogue, “It started with this idea of the primal instinct that through the centuries morphed into desire, and eventually became excess and the life cycle of luxury.” Finding such innovative, creative development from fashion houses is complicated based on the current fashion climate. Many creators often consider target audiences through references to social media, fast fashion, and politics, but Panszcyk gave an ode to primal instinct.
A decision that was phenomenally developed and created an unforgettable collection. Panszcyk delivered “fur pelts” constructed from fur-printed denim, low-rise jeans, bejeweled two-piece sets, skirts, and dresses with large godets in a variegation of colors that brought a dramatic essence onto the first 11 looks to grace the runway. The “Flintstone” beat slowly turned into a more industrial one. This was pinpointed when models came out in broad shoulder jackets or denim ensembles shrouded with beastly scratches embroidered with gold-embellished bones of an “attacker.”
Area is known for its “over the top” crystal embellishment moments. Panszcyk continued with this attribute through a series of elegant pink, blue, and green cut-out gowns draped entirely in Swarovski crystals decorated with sparkly bones. The accessories were the absolute stars of this collection. Chunky large bracelets, necklaces, and skull masks encrusted with jewels were all exceptionally loud and regal. Panszcyk mentioned drawing inspiration from the beauty of Halloween. The masks, a personal favorite, also reminded fashion lovers of Maison Margiela’s bejeweled masks from their artisanal FW 12 Haute Couture collection.
Piotrek Panszcyk has consistently delivered some of the most innovative craftsmanship and embellishment to grace fashion since founding the brand in 2014. Each piece in the collection embodied the human experience, beginning from the primal instinct of survival to reaching the status of excess exhibited through 80s-inspired silhouettes and glamour. Yet every look carried such a futuristic essence, solidifying Panzcyk’s place as a legend truly ahead of his time.
Strike Out,
Gael Lynn Laguerre
Boca Raton
Gael-Lynn Laguerre is a content writer for Strike Magazine Boca. She’s a textbook Aquarius: hyper-independent but also super hot. In her free time, she enjoys online shopping, writing sad poetry, and oversharing on Twitter. You can reach her by lgaellynn@gmail.com or Instagram @gael.lynn
