For its SS23 collection ‘A Solus Melancholy’, CRUÈL dives into the mechanisms of stress and how it affects the body. Further embroidering on themes that treat darkness, the almost fully black collection was captured in the raw and grim environment of Pre-Reserved Studio.
On the 30th of September, the brand created by William Ampofo held its 8th runway show. The designer’s love for big industrial spaces brought the crowd to Pre-Reserved Studio, Amsterdam Noord. The music, a mysterious sound with heavy and dark undertones, was created by team CRUÈL themselves, and transcended the vast open space.
25 Looks rested on the models’ shoulders as they take up their position in a formation that feels familiar to CRUÈL’s previous outings. The black tones used in the SS23 collection reflect the darkest side of the human mind, and are mixied with off-white shades, creating a balance that projects the full spectrum of the human soul. The gray area, represented by natural earth tones, brings a sense of strength that reflects the stability and reliability of the mind. As complex as the body and its mental states is, as streamlined and grounded the CRUÈL designs were in this collection. The focus clearly leant on the heaviness of the fabrics used to create three-dimensional shapes and bold silhouettes. A perfect example of this is the heavy woven cape, draped around the model’s body creating a geometrical silhouette that resembles a sharp black version of a butterfly cocoon. Probably one of the most impressive CRUÈL looks we have seen so far.
“During my travels in America earlier this year, I have seen a work mentality that is very different from the one here in Europe. I started to adapt to this way of working, and got exposed to stress factors I haven’t experienced before. I also learned a lot about people, communicating feelings, colours and new materials. This in combination with a few things I was going through when designing the SS23 collection, made me decide to process that feeling of stress in the clothing and thus make the SS23 Summer/Spring collection a tribute to the awareness of dealing with stress.” – William Ampofo
Credits:
Photographer – @jonathandewaart
Videographer – @fieldvisuals
Production assistance 1 – @leonr.b
Production Assistance 2 – @patrqn
Production Assistance 3 – Feodosiy Gurzhiy
Production Assistance 4 – @sterrehp
BHS Photography – @leevsworld
Models – @olessyuh, @allyzzle, @xakryr, @fransje_robert, @lizultee, @yu_is_ana, @odelouise, @efrossinia, @Kuei.a.w, @iamjadarose, @djieyanti, @Lkbenboos, @verasonn, @__bobbyray, @g.abreall, @navarobm, @izakrismaria, @ray.alejo31, @aldisoncadeau, @alessiopentry, @yannatristan, @Mitchellnoahh, @lebeaukitadibuita, @eyes_of_the_next, @billiiiiiie
