THE RANGES /// HYERES 2012

OUT OF VACUUM by LUCAS SPONCHIADO, BELGIUM

WOMEN ARE SITTING ROCK by NARELLE DORE, AUSTRALIA

PERFECT BLUE TAMARA by DANIEL HURLIN, FRANCE

ULDAM by PAULA SELBY AVELLANEDA, ARGENTINIA

THE BIRDS ARE SILENT by JASMINA BARSHOVI, SWITZERLAND

FINALLY, I OPTED FOR THE SQUARE by MAXIME RAPPAZ, SWITZERLAND

DRESS CODE DEFENSIVE by RAGNE KIKAS, ESTONIA

SIIRI RAASAKKA, TIIA SIREN & ELINA LAITINEN. FINLAND (THE WINNING RANGE)

STEVEN TAI, CANADA

DYSTOPIA by KIM CHOONG-WILKINS

LAST YEAR'S WINNER CÉLINE MÉTEIL

JURY PRESIDENT YOHJI YAMAMOTO

You'd be excused for thinking that I went to Hyeres just for the street style pics considering that it's all i've posted so far. Askies skat, but as you can see there were a shitload of pics from the ranges and i didn't even feature every outfit from each of the ranges, so i really had to be back home in front of my desktop computer before even touching the range pics. Anyway here they are, do keep in mind that the festival is all about discovering new young designers that are as yet unknown and they are encouraged to explore their creativity rather than try to make commercial ranges. That of course is one of my favourite ways to view a range. I totally understand that once a designer is established they often have to make clothes that they can sell to their customers, for practical reasons. But I really really do love those moments when designers really explore their imagination (and obviously execute it beautifully, otherwise fuckoff, really) and the Hyères festival is one of those moments, and that's why I went all the way there. Not to say there are absolutely no opportunities here to see similar, but I was fascinated by this festival that celebrates young designers and at the same time gets so much support from the established fashion professionals and global fashion media, and well, spending the long weekend at a cubist villa on the French Riviera is kinda fabulous, and I'm just a fag who likes fabulous things. Anyfuckingway, enjoy the pics and be inspired, and if you're a young designer find the fuck out how you can enter next year so i can see you there because i am definitely going again. Yes I am hooked, much like the people I met there. Everyone kept asking if it was my first time, for no other reason than to show off and tell me that it was their fourth, fifth or fucking tenth time. Even if you're not a designer, put aside some cash or try not to max your plastic so we can meet there next year. No, really skat.

THE WINNERS:

Finnish designers Siiri Raasakka, Tiia Siren & Elina Laitenen won the Grand Prize for their eccentric menswear collection. The trio were awarded 15,000 euros and the opportunity to present their joint collection in Paris during Fashion Week SS13.

Estonian womenswear designer Ragne Kikas picked-up the Prèmiere Vision Award and theFashion Public Award of the City of Hyères and won 10,000 euros plus the opportunity to showcase her collection at Prèmiere Vision in New York and Paris.

Canadian womenswear designer Steven Tai won the Chloé Award and a grant of 15,000 euros 

Belgian womenswear designer Lucas Sponchiado won the Public Palais de Tokyo / villa Noailles Award.