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mugler brothers of Arcadia
A Fashion week is always an intense moment where all Brands reveal their new fashion collections under, more or less, interesting themes. We have a hint of what it will be our “world” of tomorrow… at least from a fashion perspective 🙂

Last week, Mugler revealed its new collection for Men, Spring/Summer 2012. As you know, Nicola Formichetti is the Artistic Director of the fashion brand. Last March, we had the opportunity to watch live the women’s catwalk with Lady Gaga as special guest and as Sound Ambiancer.

This time, we were waiting to see what Nicolas Formichetti would propose for next year spring and summer collection for men. The Mugler man… between a greek god and a modern hero. The Fashion house built during all this years a powerful, anatomic and yet elegant vision of masculinity. All masculine myth were reviewed by Mugler and this time Nicola Formichetti also decided to bring his chapter in the olympus of Muglerian males.

mugler men spring summer 2012The show took place at the Galerie de Mineralogie – Museum of Natural science in Paris. The vast vaults welcomed a sparkling show revisiting the Muglerian imagery. Nicolas Formichetti revealed his inspirational theme called: “Brothers of Arcadia”. He explored myths and reality under a sleek iconography. From italian 60’s Fellinian cinematography to Olympian gods stories, we attended to a collection rich of symbolisms. Concerning my opinion on the collection, I was a little disappointed on the choice of the clothes presented. Nothing really astonishing or at least nothing that you could not find elsewhere. The colors and the design were not exactly representative to the Mugler signature, the way I know it. We are missing the lines that follow the muscles, the spiky cuts that made men powerful and also a lack of “couture” spirit. I know summer collections are always more complicate as the materials and colours are so specific but I was not hooked by it. I saw images I could see at Dior Homme, Dries Van noten, Alexandre Wang or even Gustavo Lins. At least I think the swimsuit collection will sell well as the shapes and the materials will fit the trend of the swimsuits market. Here are some of the looks that illustrates my words.

 

mugler men spring summer 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mugler men spring summer 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mugler men spring summer 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mugler men spring summer 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the only look that ì found quite Mugler, but then not very spring/summer:

mugler men spring summer 2012

Nevertheless, it is interesting to see how virtuose are the new fashion deisgners with the usage of video, internet and multimedia content in general. In order to support the fashion show and the collection inspiration, Mugler launched a Video called: “Brothers of Arcadia with the photographer and Director Branislav Jankic.
Branislav Jankic self-portrait

“Brothers of Arcadia”

Here are the words of Nicola Formichetti about the project:

I was interested in the idea of fantasy, dreams and voyeurism. I also liked the idea of modern and ancient myths. I was looking at Italian neo-realist cinema and then post that, where Fellini and Pasolini become more about myth and fantasy. At the same time I loved the idea and accessibility of pornography and that everyday voyeurism on XTube. I wanted to bring some of that excessive drama and the look of fantasy back to porn – to acknowledge something as over-the-top as Tinto Brass’ Caligula. With the explicit sex scenes left in.” Nicola Formichetti