After a successful debut show during AFW Edition 2022, Atelier Reservé returns to the Amsterdam Fashion Week schedule, emerging as the most eagerly awaited and highly anticipated spectacle of the event. With ‘Discomfort’, the Reservé Boys, Creative Director Alljan Moehamad and designer Deyrinio Fraenk, break free from the preconceived notions set by fashion industry standards, and add new meaning to gender, style and size.
Draped amidst the Amsterdam skyline, the Adyen roof top serves as an unorthodox canvas for a groundbreaking show that distorts stereotypes and reclaims individuality. The nucleus of the ‘Discomfort’ collection orbits around the radical notion that the paradigms of style, gender, and sizes are not immutable, but rather are dynamic entities that flux and evolve. Atelier Reservé staunchly affirmes that sartorial boundaries are mere illusions, transcending time, place, and circumstance. This conviction pulsated through every meticulously crafted garment that paraded on the catwalk. The word discomfort, the emotions that creep into our bodies when hearing this particular combination of letters, seeped through each and every visual element of the show. Focusing on the garments however, thoughts drift immediately to the impeccable way in which Atelier Reservé revolutionises upcycling. Their alchemical mastery lies in the fusion of vintage materials, discarded fabrics, and repurposed attire. A melange of patterns, textures, and silhouettes that tell stories of heritage, evolution, and revolution, and serve as a harmonious interplay of ancient Japanese artistry and the defiance of tattoo subculture.
Similar to last year’s collection, Atelier Reservé incorporated the silhouette of the traditional kimono, transforming it into garments that have a more practical purpose. A green parka with camo lining boasts functional inside pockets and a built-in bag, a cargo skirt with frontal split features a row of drawstring pockets. Intermixing formal, casual, practical and constricting, the collection has a defying undertone of a true rebel. The highlight of the show, a dashing long white coat, featured a print of Princess Diana wearing a spiked crown sliced in half, as the coat blew open with the wind. A sturdy silver lace-up corset is paired with a recycled Burberry trench made into a cape with recognizable Burberry print peeking through from the inside. The collection displays an invitation to defy norms, provoking a revolution that reverberates through thought, action, and attire. The words “Self-awareness and Self-reflection” are used synonymously with “Discomfort”, displaying once again the appraisal of a rebellion against rusted standards.
The ‘Discomfort’ collection left an indelible imprint, a testament to the brand’s profound mission to transform discomfort into empowerment, to redefine not only how we dress but how we perceive the world. The show was a clarion call to shatter boundaries and embrace the unfamiliar resounded, inviting all to embrace a new dawn of liberation.
Atelier Reservé’s drive for innovation and marching uncharted territory is in complete harmony with the values of partner Adyen. Taking its collaboration with the cutting-edge financial technology platform to the next level, the collaboration allowed guests to make instant fashion purchases directly from the catwalk itself. This marks a revolutionary shift in the fashion industry, bridging the gap between the runway and retail experience.
Photo’s by Isabelle Bucx
