Runway: Haider Ackermann F/W 19

Nearly one year since his unanticipated departure from Berluti’s creative helm, Haider Ackermann has returned to his eponymous label known for its languorously luxurious aesthetic. This collection marked Ackermann’s sophomore effort in his mixture of men’s and women’s apparel and featured his habitual fixation on tailoring. Haider Ackermann’s A/W 2019 was a furtherance of his ongoing aesthetic discourse regarding the sexes and sexuality. Rather than the collection being unisex, its motif was predicated on the notion of borrowing clothes, a sort of exchange between male and female wardrobes. Sharp geometric patterns, houndstooth and jacquards prevailed as Ackermann’s coed characters marched down his runway clad in a monochromatic palette of black, white and red hues. Slim trousers and cinched waists were also prominent, highlighting the collection’s androgynous proposal and are apt to grace the likes of Tilda Swinton and Timothée Chamalet (Ackermann’s familiar muses). Dreamy red lighting lent a moody, sensual attitude to the show while accentuating the precision of Haider’s regalia and added emphasis to the designer’s taste for impeccably crafted garments.