Roland Mouret RTW Spring 2020

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Roland Mouret is charging forward with his mission to help alleviate the problem of waste in fashion via a notion he began to explore last season: that style, not trends, is the solution. “As designers, when we wake up in the morning to be creative, it is such a big responsibility,” he said after his show. “Our creativity adds so much to the problem of climate change crisis. I don’t think the answer is to stop creating, but to think about ourselves and our values, not just to produce more products.”

His method is to create clothes that have a broad appeal and to allow the evolution of personal style to be the aspect that brings newness. Mouret’s inspiration germinated from his observation of a concerning parallel between New York in the Eighties, drunk on its own success and on the verge of bankruptcy, and today’s social, environmental and political turbulence.

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From that sobering inspiration grew a collection that was remarkably optimistic, with a joyful palette of sorbet shades, relaxed tailoring and plenty of shimmery sequins. He nodded to the Eighties via soft tailoring, gently exaggerated shoulders and lapels that were generously proportioned, and relaxed American sportswear staples, reframed by Mouret in Wasp-y looks such as the wide-ribbed baby pink cardigan that buttoned over a waterfall-collar blouse and pink pleated skirt.

Mouret said he wanted to invoke the “clash” between the glamour of the Upper East Side with the “[East Village club] CBGB period of punk.” Among the highlights that slung together the high with the low was a low-slung denim-blue sequined skirt worn with a white blouse and a nautical rope belt; a breezy striped kaftan teamed with vanilla sequin culottes and flat mules, and a sequin boat-neck tee that came with lovely wide trousers in an indeterminate gray-green.

The thing Mouret said he was most proud of, however, was the launch of the first 100 percent recycled and fully circular hangers made from ocean plastics, created in collaboration with sustainable hanger brand Arch & Hook for factory-to-retail use.

Launch Gallery: Roland Mouret RTW Spring 2020

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