ANNE SOFIE MADSEN – Spring/Summer 2016 | FASHION INSIDER MAGAZINE

Madsen highlights that the inspiration behind her collection is about the struggle between the confessed desire to dress and the confessed desire to undress, providing an interesting concept to her designs.

ANNE-SOFIE MADSEN - Spring/Summer 2016

October 19, 2015

By Lynn Quanjel

Photos Courtesy of Anne Sofie Madsen

Paris, France – Anne Sofie Madsen’s “COME UNDRESSED” collection for Spring/Summer 2016 is a composition of cutting edge designs with contrasting materials. True to form with a mix of abstract, layered and oversized pieces. Madsen highlights that the inspiration behind her collection is about the struggle between the confessed desire to dress and the confessed desire to undress, providing an interesting concept to her designs.

The collection is a representation of the many facets of a woman: inviting yet unreachable; streetwise but ladylike; and boyish but with a feminine quality. The women represented within these pieces are all in possession of these qualities. They are incarnated into the designs.

The pieces are a fusion of trends that span across several decades. At times they seem to revisit the aesthetics created by Vivienne Westwood and Jean-Paul Gaultier. The use of knee-high boots and shift dresses with turtlenecks are an ode to the 60s. They flares and echo the 70s. The oversized and disheveled trench coats salute the power dressing of the 80’s.. There is very much a sense of upheaval with this collection as underwear is very much displayed as outerwear and outerwear as innerwear. Madsen’s philosophy is built on ambivalence as she explains:

“I like to challenge and push the boundaries for everyday wear and at the same time it is really important to me that the garments are in their own way functional and wearable. It’s not about garments for princesses in a fantasy world, but I do wish to bring magic into reality and preciousness into fashion.”

Following this line of incoherency, Anne Sofie’s cleverly uses materials and techniques as a representation of each woman’s traits. It’s this variety that provides a sense of uniqueness to her work from horizontal knits to layers of organza that are presented in discordance with cutout denim pieces to the rigid structures of latex combined with delicate florals in a disheveled correlation.

At first glance, this collection might be portrayed as fragmented and a little haphazard. However, it is fascinating to see how Anne Sofie Madsen has taken a risk with her edgy and unique ready-to-wear pieces. This collection is for a woman who isn’t afraid to express herself as well as explore new boundaries. On the other hand, is it through these pieces that Madsen is trying to convey that a woman simply creates her own boundaries?