On this evening I found fresh hope that Switzerland is finally getting more colourful. While the audience was dressed more or less dressed in dark colours, the runway was filled with a (for Zurich) unusual amount of colour. Julia Heuer’s bright rainbow palette joined Jacqueline Loekito’s sweet pastels and Mourjians sparkling sequins. Emerald green was a very prominent colour among several designers and we saw a lot of plissé and knitwear. Diversity was the topic of the evening, models of all shapes, ages and skin tones rocked the catwalk and questioned stereotypical gender roles.

Jacqueline Loekito:
You We Us

The third collection of Swiss-based British/Indonesian designer Jacqueline Loekito presented at Mode Suisse is inspired by Picasso’s painting Acrobat and Young Harlekin and dominated by pastel blue and pink with diamond patterns. The classical baby colours are a perfect choice for her favourite topic: The questioning of gender roles. No matter your gender, love unites us, is her message. Don’t be fooled: Jacqueline doesn’t just put men into women’s clothes, she sweeps the borders between completely away. While her last collection was a loud and angry scream, this one shows a softer and calmer version of her themes, surprising and refreshing. Her accessories deserve another mention: My craving of the eve goes to her heart-shaped bag and the big amazing hats. Want!

Amorphose:
Will Spring Come to Me?

Lugano-based designer Giancarlo Bello asks if spring will come to him and gives the answer himself: Yes, it’s already here and it’s this beautiful collection of exquisitely handcrafted outfits, some of them more sculptures than just looks. The designer was inspired by the metamorphosis of a young woman and translated his feelings into feathers and lace, fresh green shades as well as feminine red. I think everybody in the audience remembered the moment from his last show when model Toni Dreher stepped onto the catwalk wearing a red round shield in front of her, this time her shield was green and made of springlike plants as a warrior of grace from the mind of Amorphose.

Julia Heuer:
Superbloom

Julia Heuer’s show was the first one and a strong promise of an evening full of excitement. Julia did what she can do best: Her vibrant Prints and unique Japanese Shibori plissé, combined with simple cuts that don’t take the attention from the beauty of the fabrics. The former head of print design of Jakob Schläpfer just knows what she does and stays true to herself. Please just don’t stop doing more dear Julia. I would wear every single piece of this collection straight away, it’s happy fashion for sophisticated people.

Mourjjan:
Circus of Life

Mourjjan’s circus is an elegant and sparkling collection of diamond-pattern, generously used sequins and a play between creating big volume and sext cuts, fierce and gentle at the same time. The flowing creations of the Roland Rahal are made to brighten up party nights with their glamour. While their last collection was in rather dark colours, this one features a bright and absolutely stunning colour palette that makes me love it much more. It’s fashion for a modern woman who is neither angel or demon, but unites the ambivalence of our world with its million of facets in her soul and looks.

The probably best thing about Mode Suisse besides the show is always the company. Thanks to those two for sharing the excitement with me. Doesn’t Cherry Greta rock that Vixen by Micheline Pitt leather skirt?

Pictures: Courtesy of Mode Suisse by Alexander Palacios

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Newspapers might ask where the market for this edginess and forwardness might be, I say this is just what we need: Bold inspiration, designers that are not afraid of stepping out of mainstream boredom and create for the sake of fashion as an art instead of seeing their trade as a money machine. Let me show you my favorite moments:

Amorphose:
New Silhouettes for Heroines

Designer Giancarlo Bello put the audience under a spell with his feminine and dramatic collection. His play with the silhouette and his vision of women as strong yet beautiful creatures is extraordinary. Especially the red futuristic look (worn by Toni Dreher, winner of Germany’s Next Top Model) who surrounds its wearer with a kind of a red shield was amazing in his freshness and visual boldness.

Jacqueline Loekito:
Heartbreak in Pink and Red

Dedicated to a dear friend who died from cancer, Jaqueline Loekito’s collection is not what you expect from a traditional mourning outfit: The Basel-based designer stays true to her favourite colours red and pink and her habit of breaking gender rules. Statements like “Fuck Cancer” and broken hearts are part of the bittersweet looks. Long lives the hope that the most extraordinary knitwear on the catwalk will heal hurt hearts!

Rafael Kouto:
Upcycling the future

The collection of Locarno-based designer Kouto is a wild fusion of cultures, colours, shapes, and fabrics: Africa meets the West in his upcycled creations made of mass-produced and discarded garments. It was refreshing how new old can be in a throw-away society. We need more of this as an alternative to current production!

Mourjjan:
The Roaring Times are Back

Zurich/Mykonos-based designers Roland Rahal and Raphael Muntinga presented their creations of luxury, glitter, glam and chic. The new collection featured their take on a beaded flapper dress bringing up pictures of the Roaring Twenties and this showstopper of a dress. 20s meets the now and it’s wow!

Forbidden Denimeries: 
A new approach to masculinity

If you ever doubted if men should wear skirts, here is the final reason why they should! Newcomer Mikael Vilchez shared a new vision of a modern man that was refreshing and far from stereotypes with us. This denim look and how it combines sportiness with feminine masculinity is what dreams are made of!

Quynh Bui:
Fading in Vibrance

While the collection of Head Genèva alumni Quynh Bui was inspired by 19th- and 20th-century workwear and featured a lot of denim, this orange splash of an outfit excited me most. The designer combines used and new materials, giving a new life to the existing pieces. The whole collection is sustainable and wants to bring awareness to a fabric that is a major contributor to pollution.

Last but not least:
The company

Besides being thrilled by the shows, what I love about events like this is the company of like-minded fashion people. It’s like a family meeting where everybody gathers together, like Christmas in fashion. I spent the eve with two of the best people in the universe, Gerold Brenner and Cherry Greta and enjoyed to see a lot of lovely faces during the eve. It was a blast, thank you Mode Suisse, please come back soon!

Pictures: Mode Suisse Edition 15 Alexander Palacios/Eduard Meltzer

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