Christopher Esber. Resort 2020 – Australia. Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

 

(Images from Vogue.com and wwd.com and the public domain. All rights. Used in promotion of the designer.)

Christopher Esber is one of the many emerging Australian designers of the last 10 years, beginning his signature brand in 2010 and in 2017 a runway debut at New York Fashion Week.  Esber's styles represent the contemporary trends, more so the relevancy of the last 5 years.  Which is obvious that he has keenly observed the sleek, draped looks of blazers and coats the 2016, 2017, 2018 fashion weeks offered.  Although one cannot ignore the fusion of early Yohji Yamamoto styles as a major influence on couture ala Paris in the late 70's, extending into the early 80's.  As the current designers of today have re-looped 1980s disco glamor with variants of 90's street style.  To which Esber has also paid homage too.  If anything, the searching through past resonance may assist in an evolving take on all the mentioned trends, in turn encouraging newer designers to define their originality.

So, Esbers Resort 2020 collection does have the hallmarks of Yamamoto and the offshoot brands that the famed designer holds a signature too.  Which is not a criticism, the influences are clearly apparent.  However, Esber has reworked some of the styles which I like, which have been touched upon via the runways of recent - but have not taking up the fervency of duplication, these are the hanging tassels, seen mostly on Craig Green's collections and re-cut styles within overlays of one piece dresses, that does resonate a slight Hussein Chalayan appeal (his earlier show pieces).  Which is the showing of a lot of skin, against a silhouette dress and/or non angled symmetrical cuts.  Also noted from Esber's Resort collection is some very nice plisse work – seen only on one piece, with the overall collection sleekly set within the material base of wools and synthetic blends. 

The color palette is muted, which is sensible for a Resort collection.  Black and white as the achromatic base, the clever use of reds and yellows (definitive Australian outback colors) with mixed in browns, grays and dulled camels.