Y/Project's Glenn Martens Has a Taste for Trompe-l'œil
Debuting the label’s FW22 collection ahead of his special residency for Jean Paul Gaultier.
Ahead of Glenn Martens‘ one-season residency debut for Jean Paul Gaultier, Y/Project has taken to Paris Fashion Week to serve its Fall/Winter 2022 collection that’s infused with the Gaultier touch.
Dominated by trompe-l’œil, illusionary graphics could be made out from the vast space as something that flirts with and questions gender as a concept. It’s something Gaultier has been doing for years, working with body prints and anatomical graphics to redefine the wearer’s form, and something Martens was keen to explore: “We took one of his most iconic prints and we interpreted it in a Y/Project way. It’s very layered — you have men’s prints and women’s prints and they go on top of each other,” Martens explained to Vogue.
Arguably Martens’ greatest collection for Y/Project since his appointment as Creative Director in 2013, the FW22 presentation saw heatmap-esque graphics offering a voyeuristic peek into what lies beneath; however, by using trompe-l’œil the graphics subvert expectations as they appear on everyone. As such, a muscled ab-packed top can be seen underneath a suit that’s covered in the same purple and green-toned illusionary effect, while a Y2K miniskirt is adorned with a phallus graphic.
Elsewhere, Y/Project’s usual array of denim is presented in full force. Jackets are oversized and drape from the shoulders, meeting pleated skirts halfway for a full ensemble, while other double-denim looks are again covered in trompe-l’œil before being twisted and rearranged in the brand’s typical manner.
By Eric Brain for Hypebeast