Find a fashion match for your sun sign

HOOD BY AIR

ZODIAC MATCH: Wilful and outspoken. Hey there, Capricorn!

We’ve all done it. Hood By Air’s just done it better. Designer Shayne Oliver’s collection riffs on school uniforms, reminding us of a time when we tried desperately to individualise our own. Cocking a snook at the uniform’s uptightness, the collection cued gym gear, played with hemlines, opened out shirt collars and gave them tons of personality. There were pleats aplenty and layering, thigh-high slits and androgyny. Gender-ambiguous models drove home the idea of an as-yet-unformed sexuality, walking to ’90s hits in what looked like a high school cafeteria. If Oliver’s style in school was anything like it is now, we’re sure he sat with all the cool kids.

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RAHUL MISHRA

ZODIAC MATCH: Meticulous, with an eye for detail. Here’s to you, Virgo.

While we’re all outraging at that harmless Coldplay video, Mishra’s assiduously giving Indian-ness a more contemporary definition on the international ramp. Winner of the International Woolmark Prize in 2014, and now part of the Paris Fashion Week calendar, Mishra uses traditional Indian craftsmanship to create technically astounding pieces that couldn’t be more au courant. His ‘Fourth Dimension’ collection might be the boldest yet. Flowers, leaves and dots evolve from prints to 3D elements on the garments, radiating out from a single focal point. Combining  complex designs with simple silhouettes, traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, and the floral with the geometric, the collection was an ode to duality.

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RICK OWENS

ZODIAC MATCH: Earthy and tasteful. Taurus, you’re up.

Owens’ shows have become all about the spectacle. So when he sent out models strapped to each other in the most uncomfortable of ways, we were astounded, but not surprised. To him, it was a meditation on sisterhood. With all the hoopla surrounding the show, it’s easy to miss the sublime, eminently wearable pieces of the collection. The clothes were beautifully sculpted in fabrics that just begged to be touched. The palette was muted: cream, black, army green, rust. It’s great for work, if you do away with the human accessories.

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This season’s standout collections embraced irreverence and individuality. Not sure where to start? We’ve matched collections to zodiac signs, because why not?

LOUIS VUITTON

ZODIAC MATCH: Rebellious, impulsive and edgy. Sounds like you, Aries.

If you ever want to strap your LV monogrammed luggage onto a beat-up bike and hit the road, Nicolas Ghesquière now has a collection that could keep pace. Biker chic really doesn’t get better than this: metal studs, perforated leather, patchwork jackets, all paired with prairie whites. It stacks up well, considering the face of the S/S 2016 campaign is Lightning from the cult video game Final Fantasy. And if that doesn’t seem contrarian enough, Will Smith’s son Jaden is the new model for the women’s ad campaign. Though its mascots are a fantasy character and a teenage boy, this is still a collection real women will love.

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MANISH ARORA

ZODIAC MATCH: Bold, flamboyant and colourful. A.K.A. Leo.

A sweatshirt from Arora’s collection spelt out his inspiration in sparkles: disco gypsy. Always dependably OTT, his pieces are also, lest we forget, super pretty and exquisitely crafted. The ultra-feminine collection featured tiered skirts, floral embroidery, shimmery fringed jackets, psychedelic prints, and scarves so innovatively draped, they would have made any Romani matron proud. It’s perfect for those who think dress codes at parties are for the waiters.

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VETEMENTS

ZODIAC MATCH: Fearless and original. Aquarius, this is you all over.

When you’re doggedly anonymous and still have Kanye West sitting in the front row of your shows, you must be doing something right. The Paris-based design team of Vetements led by Demna Gvasalia put out a subversive collection as a statement against the trend-saturated world of fashion. Instead of going by the season, they exaggerated everyday classics and pop culture icons. The result was plastic apron dresses, lots of neon, shirts worn backwards, and sleeves that reached past the knees. And just in case we missed the point, they got friends, not models, to walk the ramp. Guess not giving a shit is always in style.

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JACQUEMUS

ZODIAC MATCH: Intense, with a penchant for darkness. Well hello, Scorpio!

The signature joie de vivre was missing from the French designer’s summer offering, replaced by a more noir mood. But it was still unmistakably French, all effortless chic in tones of black, white, grey and red. At times cheeky but mostly sombre, the collection deconstructed common garments to create something completely original. Neckties were used as straps, dresses were fashioned out of suit jackets, shirts were knotted into dresses, and a gown onto which a suit was drawn stuck out in everyone’s mind. That, and a ball-shaped dress that was just plain oddball. When asked about the sudden departure from his typical aesthetic, the designer said, “The Jacquemus girl has lost her smile.” Ironically, we couldn’t be happier with
the collection.

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TOGA

ZODIAC MATCH: Impractically romantic, and imaginative. Pisces, you come to mind.

Toga’s Yasuko Furuta says her clothes are for “women who can only live in chaos.” In other words, Indians. But whether this woman is navigating chaos or provoking it is a question that could retire the chicken-or-egg dilemma. Called ‘Petals, Minerals, Squiggles’, Toga’s nature-inspired collection is a collage of fabrics that are put together with a technical precision that’s just beautiful. The colours were bold, the floral prints were big and arty, and the ruffles made the ’70s look tame. Tulle, silk, and occasionally, sequins were sewn together in asymmetrical silhouettes, seeming haphazard and yet, just right.

You may also want to read: 12 cool ways to work denim

OFF-WHITE BY VIRGIL ABLOH

ZODIAC MATCH: Harmonious and versatile. This one’s for you, Libra.

A few seasons ago, Abloh was Kanye West’s creative director, and a DJ partying with music’s A-listers. Now, he’s all that plus the designer of a label that’s steadily gaining traction in all the right circles. Off-White strikes a rare balance between street wear and high fashion. Maybe it has something to do with having inspirations as varied as Baja style and Martha Stewart. His S/S 2016 collection looks cool and easy at first, but look again and you’ll find surprising details hidden away. Take, for instance, the sleeveless jacket with pleated panels, the frayed denim skirt with staggered panelling, the patchwork jeans, and the innocuous white tee with detailing along the neckline. Subtlety from the Kanye West camp. Who would have thought.  

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AM.IT BY AMIT AGGARWAL

ZODIAC MATCH: Quirky, colourful, and the life of the party. Take a bow, Sagittarius.

Even if you follow only one Bollywood actress on Instagram, chances are, you’re already familiar with the collection. It’s the right kind of quirky, with elements that will make you turn around for a second glance. A third, even. Aggarwal married utility and fantasy to create clothes that made a strong case for upcycling. Gamcha was overlaid with polythene, stripes and checks lost their predictability, and the silhouettes were girly and exaggerated. It’s what our favourite anime characters would wear if they suddenly sprouted an eco-conscience. Oh, and those net pockets with donuts. Yum!

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HUSSEIN CHALAYAN

ZODIAC MATCH: Subtle and sensitive. That’s you, Cancer.

Chalayan closed his show with clothes dissolving under a shower of water, revealing show-stopping gowns beneath; it’s all anyone can talk about. But what preceded it is equally worthy of newsprint. The Cuba-inspired collection was demure on the surface, but look twice, and you’ll catch a hint of cheekiness. Army green clothes held flaps for Castro-style cigars, and elegant pleated dresses hid away drawings of stick figures at play. It was simple elegance spun from complex themes, showing that boldness doesn’t always have to be blaring.

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JW ANDERSON

ZODIAC MATCH: It’s a study in contrasts. But then, Gemini, so are you.

If Fran Lebowitz is the inspiration for your collection, you can’t help but create something brutally honest. Anderson didn’t stray too far from the ’80s theme of his fall line, but the collections were nothing alike. The high point was the ingenuity of the fabrics: think rubbery leather, plasticated textures and ribbed knits.

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