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"You're in the wrong place." It's a line you might be familiar with if you've seen the Julia Roberts masterpiece Pretty Woman, but it's also the title of today's Off-White collection. Designer Virgil Abloh (who is additionally known for his other gig as Kanye West's creative director) blesses each show with a line that encapsulates its vibe: the most recent men's collection was dubbed "Don't Cut Me Off," while the spring womenswear was titled "Off-Day."
"It is my manifesto on how the modern girl doesn't really work on convention," Abloh explained of fall's directive to W. "Being feminine and empowered — there's a change in the tide. It's not typical or traditional."
To that end, jean jackets were styled backwards, and suit jackets were worn twisted, tied, and off the shoulder. (Of note, outerwear falling off the shoulder was also seen at Demna Gvasalia's new Balenciaga earlier this week, and the standout tomato red color used on many of Off-White's pants was also used by Gvasalia at Vetements. The two friends clearly haven't been selfish with their ideas.)
Dresses featured artwork from the painter Giorgio de Chirico's Piazza d'Italia series. Abloh has featured works of art on his designs before, most notably Italian painter Caravaggio.
Other pieces, like parkas and dresses, had the look of being deconstructed and put back together, pockets hanging on the outside. It's a practice done frequently at Abloh acolyte Samuel Ross's label A-Cold-Wall. Logo t-shirts, from brands like Guess, were cut apart and reassembled looks that showed Abloh's streetwear side isn't entirely dormant.
But this collection was otherwise unrecognizable from Abloh's #BeenTrill legacy, and even from early Off-White, both of which were covered in logos. The most visible remnants of that phase of Abloh's career were all sitting front row: Ian Connor, Kendall, and Kris Jenner.