GARCIAVELEZ Spring 2016

Carlos Garciavelez continues the journey of the cultural nomad who constantly searching for the synergy between architectural shape, form, structure and its many variations as it applies to the human body. While for fall 2015, Garciavelez found that relationship as it related to geometric shapes and global architectural design. However, for his spring 2016 collection, “Lucent Stasis,” Garciavelez detailed how the cultural nomad explored the relationship of light and its application, effects, configurations, and possible distortions as applied to the human body. Garciavelez’s evolved from four core ideas: reflecting, concealing, diffusing, and capturing the ephemeral qualities of light.

“I wanted to experiment with how to suspend the temporal quality of light within the garment,” explains Garciavelez. “ The challenge for me was to capture a finite quality of an incandescent source and how that relates to the human body.”

Influenced by the art installations of Dan Flavin’s fluorescent installations (1996) and Donald Judd’s 100 untitled works in mill aluminum (1982–1986), Garciavelez sought to incorporate the current trend of athletic wear as day and evening wear and combine this menswear direction with his concept of tailored menswear expressed through prisms of light and its possibilities.

Though Garciavelez did capture light through its varied prism and reflect that translucence in his garments—this was particularly evident in his trench coat, vest and other outerwear—the overall collections lacked any real spark. Many of the pieces in this collection, outside of the very interesting translucent gloss, could be found at most menswear retailers that are looking to satisfy the male consumer who has very simple taste and is just looking for spring/summer staple clothing.

The highlight of this spring 2016 collection was the interesting ombre effect of some of the translucent colors and fabrications. Still, interesting fabric choices and color palettes are not enough to carry a collection. Better luck next time!!

—William S. Gooch