AW18 DISPOSSESS
Our latest Autumn/Winter 2018/2019 collection evokes the forced collectivization of the 1950s
Budapest, Hungary, February 8, 2018 _ Dora Zsigmond's Autumn/Winter 2018/2019 menswear collection, titled DISPOSSESS harks back to the early 1950s era, when private property of small freeholders was sequestered by the government in Hungary. The collection is a memento to inhumanity and suffering of peasants.
Dora Zsigmond’s garments are often made of hand-woven, raw linen feedsack canvas, frequently produced several decades earlier. While on sourcing trips to the countryside in search of old canvases, she encountered the term of “collectivization”, during which, in addition to the nationalization of private property, hard-earned agricultural products were appropriated from the wealthier farmers, also known as “Kulaks” by the government. During these “attic-sweeps”, as they were called, the peasants have tried to hide or conceal their goods in order to spare them from compulsory delivery. Oftentimes this was the story behind the fabrics sold by the heirs, which allowed Dora to base her contemporary collection reflecting on the past.
The atmosphere of the era is evoked by the muted, tired colors of military green, sand, dirty brown, neutral shades of steel grey, and blunt blacks. The ominous overtones are diluted by the cheerful optimism of ocher and powder pink.
The layered, quilted surfaces made of canvas and lattice-based fabrics recall the division of random parcels of land, which resulted in the eventual relocation and scattering of families.
Some of the garments in the collection were made of traditional workwear and military-inspired materials such as wool, flannel, duffel and gabardine, yet other pieces are created from modern, functional materials such as elastic polo jersey and water-repellent recycled polyester. The tumult of raw materials resembles the old garments which reigned in the aftermath of World War II.
Dora Zsigmond's design style is characterized by angular, crude, block-like silhouettes, multi-layered, lined coats, unfinished edges, innovative, refined detailing, functional pockets, which are returning elements of the brand from season to season. Emphasized are the intricately embroidered, applique’d logos as identifiers of the brand.
There is a wide range of various types of coats among the key pieces, such as long, quad-quilted, bright-colored duffel bombers, a padded, cropped coat reminiscent of state security officers’ uniforms lined in camouflage with elbow-high button-cuffs as well as a slight bell-shape and high waistband releasing the tense atmosphere surrounding the garment. The long khaki green asymmetrical duvet-coat has a clean, modern silhouette that is both dignified and comfortable to wear at the same time. The elegance of the brushed wool unlined coat is made current by workwear-inspired patch pockets.
The relaxed, casual hooded tops, high-neck woven pullovers, cropped and elongated shirts made for everyday wear can be intermixed in various ways with the multitude of unusual trousers.