ARTFULLY HATS: FLAPPER FALL-WINTER 2018

Flapper fw 2018

Remove the superfluous to reach the essence. Abandon herself to the flow of ideas by rejecting the common codes. Keep on the dialogue between creators of worlds. It is the modus operandi of Genevieve Xhaet and her Flapper brand. For the autumn-winter 2018 season, the Italian-Belgian designer establishes a symbiotic and semiotic relationship with the American artist Olivia Erlanger, whose “contrasting materials are the basis of her works in which she combines sculptural elements with digital instruments.” Says Xhaet. Among the works there is one that has triggered the creative process: Body Electric, in which those ingredients are read as tools for reflection on our present world, where people are increasingly digitalized.

Flapper fw 2018

They are the fabrics and the shapes of the hats, where obviously the turbans stand out, to make the connection tangible: the first ones are light wool, cashmere, pvc, woven fabrics with lurex applications and, finally, the insertion of the reflector, thermo welded or sewn directly, which is the true novelty of the collection. It justifies the material juxtaposition, and, in a less sérieux perspective, provides that ironic touch, always present, year after year. The silhouette, on the other hand, extends its volumes, not only to the turbans, but also to the hats and bands, thanks to a game of weaves in which different yarns, like wool and lurex, are the protagonists.

Flapper fw 2018

The pieces in knitwear, experimented subtly in the previous collections, find the right affirmation this time, becoming an allegory of the works of Frank Jànos, Hungarian artist “known for the overlap of different types of yarn creating ability to realize a strong sense of three-dimensionality.” He thus introduces the designer, met in the Milan showroom, waiting to leave for Paris, for the sales campaign.

Flapper fw 2018

Adding value to the work of Genevieve Xhaet, in addition to the quality of the fabrics – some by Loro Piana – and the Italian craftsmanship, is research. An in-depth study of the artistic world, which is the primary source, the very concept on which Flapper revolves, but not only, the very idea of non-fashion fashion perpetuated by the designer.