Calvin Luo AW23

A hand delivered by messenger, sleek glossy black bag with a cut-out handle arrived for me. Inside was an invitation in a black square box containing a black rose. Calvin Luo sure knows how to treat a lady. Being invited to a show in this way is my magical moment number 8.

With an invitation like this the excitement for the show definitely built. When the day of the show arrived I eagerly arrived at the venue a few minutes before they even opened. Some of it was due to just timing, but most of it was just due to the sheer excitement. As the show began in the intimate setting, I quickly discovered this show was definitely worthy of the opulent invitation.

"In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth." -Patti Smith

Luo blends femininity and strength through his combinations of fabric, craftsmanship and silhouette. In each seemingly casual pleat lies a metaphor for femininity. The spirit of Robert Mapplethorpe's photo of Patti Smith on the sleeve of "Horses" is well felt at this collection. In the simple portrait of Smith in dark jeans and a crisp white shirt with a black ribbon and jacket draped over her shoulder, Mapplethorpe perfectly captured the essence of the punk rock poet. Luo translated that spirit into his Autumn Winter 2023 collection.

Soft and hard edges played very well together in this collection of cascading off-the-shoulder gathered taffeta, yoked and gathered ankle length skirts paired with structured notched collar jackets and lots of denim. The feminine and masculine were intertwined, poetically dancing within the rhythm of this collection. As implied by Patti Smith's quote, artists find balance by being studied and well organized in life so they can be fierce and original in their work. This give and take is shown through Luo's work. The structured with the free, the wildness and the calm, everything is a part of the same working wheel.