If the majority of names on the couture calendar involve mega budget shows where the splendor can feel stratospheric, Ronald van der Kemp exists to remind us that fashion’s most elevated and/or experimental form can veer towards camp. To be sure, he’s been a joyful outlier since arriving on the Paris scene in 2015. There’s his admirable sourcing of surplus and vintage couture fabrics along with leather and exotic skin remnants (98 percent of today’s collection was made from existing materials), plus his unfailing attraction to the glamour of yesteryear, which equals a kind of fashion povera chic that can look fah-buh-lous, darling because it’s all so unexpected.
Today’s conceit, which played out at a photography studio beloved by Richard Avedon, introduced a whole other dimension of the unexpected. In quasi homage—and not visible in these photos—van der Kemp situated himself in the center of the space where he flattered and directed the models, taking numerous snaps as they posed like caricatures of models. There was a “Show me every angle,” to the girl in the sweeping velvet cape and vivid violet trousers,” and “You’re a statue,” to the one wearing an ivory silk dress. The Debbie Harry lookalike in the sleeveless, big-shouldered smoking jacket got, “Show me those hips,” as she hammed it up.
Was this a fashion parody or eccentric earnestness? Hard to tell! The Polly Magoo-era soundtrack was certainly on the nose. The meta aspect was ratcheted up with van der Kemp recording the activity on his Ray-Ban Meta sunglasses, occasionally gazing at all of us and breaking the fourth wall.
Numbered Wardrobe 23 and titled We Are the World, the flamboyant color mixing and fabric collaging was every bit true to RVDK; only this time, there was 3D printing integrated on textiles so that certain creations took on a retro-future vibe. (See the silver tube dress with protruding motifs and gold embellishments like the sculptural skyline across a mini top hat.)
There were some red carpet contenders: the relatively reserved high-neck, cropped top and floor-length skirt alternating black mohair and silk, or the beaded bra and puffed skirt, which was gutsy and fun. Look closely at the black bustier gown and you’ll see the outline of Greenland. “For me, these things are very intuitive,” he demurred. “I don’t want to make a statement. It’s not about being political.”
Still, the state of the world being what it is, frivolity can be a form of optimism. The Zoolander threshold was crossed, however, with the penultimate look, a painted canvas dress accessorized with a mini mannequin torso in gold. And by the end, when the model wearing a candy-colored plissé mini-dress confection came out inexplicably playing a clarinet, a simmering cringe came to a boil. Good thing a finale is fleeting, whereas RVDK’s best intentions will endure.
