Robert Wun reflected on the fragile, transient nature of beauty — and clothing — in his fall collection, titled “Time.” With his habitual surrealistic flair, he thought about how the loveliest things in life, from flowers and snowflakes to a good wool coat eaten by moths over the winter, are ultimately fated to disappear. “Nothing lasts forever, and that’s the beauty of it,” said the designer.
The story — inspired by looking back on the 10 years of his label and wondering if he’ll still be creating another decade down the line — provided fertile ground from both aesthetic and technical standpoints. His models’ faces were covered by a creative variety of headpieces, adding to the sense of alienation and drama he is known for.
The opening tailored dress coats in deepest black wool were embroidered with shiny white beading to resemble the joy evoked by snowflakes just landed. Autumnal leaves were made into a headdress and scattered across the shoulders. Felt outerwear looked to be torn apart, its ragged edges underlaid by dark tulle and a swarm of moths crafted from feathers hovering in a swarm around the body.
In less literal looks, he layered tone-on-tone silks, velvets and other fabrics of differing textures to resemble vivid blossoms, with pleated underskirts or pants laid over with draped skirts and dramatic boned corsetry. In royal blue edged with gold, his designs were intended to evoke the Japanese art of kintsugi, traditionally used to mend and honor broken pottery. “Sometimes when you put precious things on, even if they’re damaged, the beauty is enhanced,” said Wun.
For the final looks, he thought about humanity’s own inherent frailty, offering up a deep red dress elaborately pleated to evoke the muscular system. With 75,000 separate folds, it was the most complex piece in the collection, necessitating 4,000 hours of handwork. Another look featured a semi-translucent exoskeleton, while the final design, in place of a bride, was a veiled tulle gown that radiated and glittered like a vision of the cosmos.
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