The Punk Poetess - New York

Guided by the folkloric elements of the former Soviet countries, Georgia and Armenia and specifically referencing Serge Paradjanov, the odd political artist poet, who was famous for his work made during an imprisonment period under Soviet rule, Alexandre Herchcovitch softens his rock rebel tendencies for fall and winter.
Headscarves were artfully knotted and draped with crystal, metal and wooden chains. Old world textiles with circular prints in aging bold colours and were adored with layers of rhinestones and painted studs. Herchcovitch has a distinctive skill for cutting beautiful and unusual shapes, not something every young designer in New York can boast.

He loves a good dramatic sleeve and cuts them well. Here he showed a voluminous shape with curving seams, embellished at the edges, emphasizing their line. Large pleats in the back of jackets were tucked into the shape and secured with buttons at the hem. The range of pieces crocheted from rubber, yarn, ebony crystals and chains were exquisite in their hand work with skirt hems full of dangling bells and bobbles, ideal for a whirl through a Kochari dance step.

Having recently visited the stellar Paradjanov museum in Yerevan, Armenia, I was particularly keen on the offerings and pleased with the delicate execution. It is a difficult task to take traditional elements of costume and dress and incorporate them into the current fashion moment and furthermore into something that girls will wear on the street. Herchcovitch tastefully married the two, without parody and seamlessly showed the many facets of his strong fiercely individual women.
    

By Anush Mirbegian