The latest fashion collection from GmbH for Fall/Winter 2023 is a stunning display of atonal glamour that showcases the transformative power of fashion. The designers, Alexander Huseby and Serhat Isik, were inspired by the elegance and sophistication of 1950s haute couture, as well as the inclusive and empowering ballroom and drag cultures that have recently embraced it.
The collection is defined by oversized bows, stoles, and streamers that add a couture edge to classic silhouettes. Despite its complex themes, the designers made it clear that the focus of the collection was on clothes, specifically exploring shape and volume in daring and elegant ways. They saw it as an opportunity to find freedom with fashion by shifting their focus from personal history and trauma to fashion history.
This bold and playful approach is evident in the collection’s many signature silhouettes, such as the short coat dress that has been reimagined with streamers that can be tied tightly to bind the corset or allowed to fly freely with a train-like sweep. However, it is the unexpected takes on menswear that are particularly striking, such as the off-the-shoulder bow tops in velvet or with big bows, or the pairing of a bow top with trousers that have a jogger kind of ease.
Huseby and Isik have been breaking down gender norms in fashion by recontextualizing womenswear tropes in menswear for some time now, but it hits different within the couture framework of this collection. The effect is transformative, highlighting the power of fashion to reshape our bodies and our identities.
Overall, the collection is a testament to the power of fashion to transform us, allowing us to express our true selves and step into the person we want to be. The influence of ballroom and drag culture serves as a reminder of fashion’s inclusive potential, while the designers’ focus on shape and volume speaks to the transformative possibilities of fashion. As Madonna once said, “strike a pose, there’s nothing to it“. With GmbH’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection, that sentiment feels especially relevant.
©GmbH
