One is infinity
Fall-Winter 2021-22
There is no one ideal femininity.
There is no such thing as singular identity.
There are no clothes for just one occasion.
And no clothes fit everybody in the same way.
CONCEPT
FW2021/22 collection by Acephala is an ode to individual style and idiosyncratic expression. Living in the world of overproduction and constant temporality, we challenged ourselves to create clothes that could fit in many different closets and stay in those closets for longer than just one season. The collection is a set of garments that are minimalistic and essential yet with a twist that makes them unique - be it either construction, pattern, fabric or detailing.
The story behind the collection is told through photographic narrative inspired by Cindy Sherman - the master of identity masquerades. The protagonists of the narrative are 5 different characters, all of them played by one model - Oliwia Niewczas. Their aesthetic sense, lifestyle, social context they live in, all seem to be clashing. Each of them has a different agenda. The first one called “Ludowicz”, is a chic eccentric balancing on clean minimalism and art influences.
“Bobby” - the next one - personalises gender fluidity and beauty asceticism. “Lotta” is all about going out and city life. “@offovska” just doesn’t care. And last but not least “Maria”, is the one who plays on seductive image of femininity and impersonates conscious sexuality.
Who these individuals are? On the one hand, that is a gallery of psycho-sociological personas to be found in contemporary society, but on the other, they are avatars of different layers of any personality (culture, nature, sociability, rebellion, sexuality) or personifications of contradictory fashion tribes (posh minimalism, normcore, eclecticism, trash and glamour). However you read it, they are just five out of infinity.
COLLETION
The whole masquerade was put together with the use of limited set of clothes, something you might call a capsule wardrobe. And the clothes, according to what they are put together with and who wears them, may change dramatically. The shearling coat with rubber piping, a masterpiece of the collection, transforms from the statement piece into an ordinary cozy coat you wear while dog walking. Cropped cardigan might work as a chic accessory to a little black dress and as a winter trip essential. Red-carpet-ready transparent printed dress is utilised as a hoodie undergarment. And so on, so on.
CAMPAIGN
We wanted to balance the humour of the campaign with seriousness with which we treat production of clothes. All of the pieces in the collection are carefully constructed, embellished with unique detailing and made from fabrics that are sensual and rich in texture, and what’s crucial - sustainable. 95% of the materials used in the collection are either natural (organic cotton, cotton, viscose) or produced from recycled polyester. All the prints have been designed in our studio to enhance the message of the collection. The overall print drives from the Rorschach test ambiguity while t-shirt print is a form of visual rebus encrypting “one is infinity” equation.
Credits
Photography: Bartek Korzeniowski
Model: Oliwia Niewczas (@skupwyslodkow) / Pinokio Models (@pinokiomodels)
Styling: Monika Kędziora (@kedzioramonika)
Art direction: Wojciech Tubaja (@wojciechtubaja)
Hair and make-up: Emil Zed (@emilzedhair) / VanDorsen Artists (@van_dorsen_artists)
Stylist assistant: Karolina Szafranek (@kkarola)