NEW YORK FASHION WEEK: ZIMMERMANN RTW FALL 2022
Words Amie Elizabeth White
The first look was the golden dress. Bell-sleeves, tasselled hems, embroidered shoulders and a frilled neck, married with a full-length skirt that bounced with each step. It’s a style that has come to define Zimmermann’s elevated bohemian flare. Following on from the dress came a suit of cobalt, worn close to the figure and cuffed with a pattern like before. But here, a figure of an archer appeared, and we saw the twist that this show would offer us: the Zimmermann Zodiac. The collection was inspired by the stars. Created with the Scottish artist Anita Inverarity, each look contained an image or a trinket associated with the 12 signs of the Zodiac, re-imagined for the Zimmermann woman and coming to life in the craftsmanship that the designer gets so right. Folk-like and fun, but intricate and considered, celebrating illustration and the influence from above. And not a single detail was spared when it came to the Stargazer: belt buckles were crescent moons, jewels were orbs made of gold. Even zippers got the celestial treatment, as stars featured on the pull.
In true Zimmermann style, details were picked from dreams and looks were so good they were surreal. But in a world where reality and practicality reigned supreme, each look was grounded by wearability and belief. As the fashion world looks towards the trends of the cooler temperatures, Zimmermann offered us a lesson in textural layers. Shearling jackets, puffer coats and cable-knit cardigans weighted down the lighter fabric underneath. There were pea coats, bomber jackets and capes, worn over dresses for some, and paired with jeans for the next. High collars promised to keep us from the cold, with knitted scarves and fur over shoulders offering even more. Even tights were a feature, but not the kind that would ever be an afterthought. These were tights made of thick ivory lace, or patterned with the same depth and detail of the silks that the models wore. The romanticism of Zimmermann, one we perhaps associate with Spring florals or Summer nights, was made rational and reasonable, and wearable as the sun turns to ice.
It was a show marked by contrasts. Wool was paired with lace. Colours of orange and Kelly green punctuated ivory tones. Delicacy and detail were offset by heartier and heavier textures of leather and felt. But it was a show of fun. Frills were made to bounce, flares were made to flounce, and the game of contrasts served as a tantalising but tasteful reminder that clothes are meant to be worn. But there was history, too, as velvet shoes established an intimate connection to Renaissance Italy. It was a time of richness and of art. But it was a time and place where astrology shaped the arts and civic life like never before, and an era that is mirrored in the way we are influenced by our star signs now.
The final looks were gowns made with gold. Individually embroidered discs bearing stars and signs shimmered from shoulder to floor. Yes, they were gowns that demand a certain setting. But if you layer them with a shearling jacket, the setting might not be as far-reaching as you thought. Details picked from dreams, but looks marked with a realism and believability that made this Zimmermann ready-to-wear, actually ready-to-wear. The stars aligned with this one.