Light is seeping through the big French windows of my boyfriend’s apartment in Geneva. It softly strokes my On spray shoes, leaving the thin synthetic web golden.
Like running, I have many hobbies, which often leave me late with any social media or blog posting. But this spring’s PFW was really special, so I wanted to dedicate my coffee-induced afternoon to reminiscence about my wonderful four days in Paris, which absolutely destroyed my feet but brought many important aspects of my life together: friendship, fashion, journalism and delicious wine.
Many other fashion week goers might relate to the increasing weight of their feet, walking between showrooms and walks, but for my twin, Yana, my friend Petya, and myself, it was worth every blister: not only did we see incredible designs by Hiking Patrol, Descente, Diemme, Lavenham, Alis, Puma, and many others, but we took the time to dissect my own collection for outdoor brand Mammut, displayed in a coffee-fueled and stainless steel-covered showroom in the Marais.
This year, fashion felt fresher, more inspired, and one could clearly identify Gen Z’s influence on the design of not only functional apparel, but also interior design curation, product design and an attitude of humble shamelessness, with which founders and representatives hand you the 100th cup of house brew and an elevator pitch of their most recent pieces.
High quality print techniques and a mixture of office and outdoor in apparel made all of us think of the FiDi banking bro, who wears his classic suits with a touch of Patagonia. And since everyone seems to be confused about who the target customer with most disposable income is in this nonsense of an economy, it seemed that rules had flown right out the showrooms’ French windows.
Insulation quilting and casual shirting seemed to take the stage with a combination of earthy tones and pacifist pastels. This January, designers’ ‘Vive la révolution’ cry was silent but firm: quiet luxury taking over outdoor apparel, with a twist of vintage mountaineering.
An absolute highlight of our visit was the launch party of Techunter Magazine, which my twin, Yana, and I occasionally write for. This issue’s article focused on female leadership in sports and the sportswear industry and it was an absolute delight to write, as Yana and I had the pleasure of interviewing highly talented women in fashion, sports and management.
We celebrated the magazine’s 10th anniversary issue with delicious wine, incredible company, archival pieces by Puma, displays by Hoka, Salomon, and Houdini, and a two-hour chat with Vollebak’s Design Director, Satish Tailor about the future of materials, and with designers from Vexed Designs about the state of product design and the rambunctiousness of today’s youth.
Meeting old friends and making new ones was the perfect way to honour the history of the magazine and the grit, which drives talented founders, designers, journalists, and photographers to keep changing the world of technical apparel despite the hardships of the industry.
Cheers to determination, talent and curiosity!