Mackintosh 0002

Mackintosh 0002 is the second ready-to-wear collection designed by Kiko Kostadinov for Spring 2018. Just as the last collection focused on rubber, this season focuses on the materiality of glass.

The concept was triggered by Mario Merz’s ‘Igloo, Do We Go Around Houses, or Do Houses Go Around Us?’ (1985). The installation is made of sixty-five slate slabs spiralling from the top of a semi-circular steel frame, to which they are fastened with G-clamps, with an adjacent structure of seventy-four vertical panes of broken glass. The combination of raw slate, industrial man-made tools and mottled glass informed the approach to 0002.

Kostadinov continues to re-work the archetypal wardrobe with exaggerations on the silhouette and an emphasis on discreet construction and unisex fit. The concept of transparency manifests itself in the translucent voile fabrics layered over a colour palette of scarlet and ice-cool teal, a colour palette that takes its cue from household tools and the layering of glass, as well as a variety of stone, charcoal and pebble grey. The uniform, a perennial point for Kostadinov, is transformed into a modern suit, with a piping aligning the boxy jackets and wide-leg trousers. Loro Piana 3-Layer storm system wool and Nikke gabardine wool, are introduced to the Mackintosh vocabulary and transformed by the brand’s traditional rubberised techniques, which date back to 1823. Feather-light translucent nylon, too, is used for papery weather-proof outerwear that challenges the perceptions of the classic mac overcoat.

Clothes that seem effortless are complex in construction. Jackets with double-layered panels cinch the silhouette without looking severe. Knitwear is adorned with linear silk details to create a sense of silhouette. Artisanal glass cuffs, hand-blown and engraved in Sweden, complete the narrative. For the first time, rubber bags are crafted by repurposing the techniques Mackintosh use to create their unique rubberised cotton, as seen in traditional outerwear. Industrial snaps are utilised for fastenings. A subtle re-positioning of belts puts emphasis on the hip, rather than waist.

With an emphasis on material, unexpected fabrics are introduced to expand the limitless potential of the craftsmen who hand-make each Mackintosh item. By combining modern textiles and traditional techniques, the reinvention of the British heritage continues to accelerate forward.