One of the most exciting elements of any great collection is the venue in which it is shown. And now that the menswear shows are over, we can look back at some of the most compelling…

 

Kris Van Assche’s A/W 2010 ‘Coal’ collection for Dior Homme was inspired, in its entirety, by the fossil fuel.  A circular, raw steel runway was surrounded by charcoal, bringing the collection as close as possible to the 900-strong audience. The lighting, which mimicked the spherical nature of the stage, captured the atmosphere beautifully and became the focal point of the setting.

 

John Galliano’s A/W 2010/11 show was an Edwardian affair, inspired by opium dens, dandies and Sherlock Holmes. The opulent setting featured a giant magnifying glass and a flame-throwing runway.

 

For the last six years, Prada have collaborated with Rem Koolhaas, his Rotterdam-based design studio OMA and the AMO think tank to create some of the most ambitious shows seen during fashion weeks. And this show was no different. Taking inspiration from ‘the city’, the Fondazione Prada was transformed into an fantasy urban environment, complete with a traditional chequerboard floor, Prada store, a central park (created by pouring green resin onto the floor), a movie theatre, and a pink ‘music hall’, which housed the show DJ.

 

Adam Kimmel’s A/W 2010 show was ultimately the manifesto of his ‘Casino’ collection, which was inspired by the work of American artist and gambling man, George Condo. Taking characters from Condo’s paintings as the template for his models – with masks from Hollywood prosthetics whiz, Gabe Bartalos – the velvet suit and blazer-clad figures surrounded a craps table to mimic a casino space, within a blacked-out room in Paris’ Yvon Lambert Gallery.

Guests were led into the final show via the gallery entrance hall, where live security camera films of the ‘Casino’ were projected; followed by a white-cube room – sparsely displaying a series of Kimmel’s trademark lookbook images – before ending up in the velvet roped-off main event, at the heart of the gallery.

For the full blog post see: www.wallpaper.com/gallery/fashion/mens-aw-2010-venues