ROKH SS 22 ’S WOMEN’S COLLECTION OBSERVES A PARALLEL BETWEEN THE TIMELESS WORKMAN’S UTILITY WEAR AND THE PERPETUALLY-GLAMOROUS EVENING DRESSES. CLASH OF DIFFERENT ITEMS AND STYLES THAT WERE CREATED FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES IN LIFE ALL MIXED TOGETHER TO FORM A NEW LANGUAGE AND WARDROBE FOR WOMEN.
In the Mind of Creative director Rok Hwang, the creation of random identities lies at the heart of Rokh. They study different garments and styles, each serving a specific purpose in life, then clash them all together to form a new language and wardrobe for women. The name of this collection, “White Rabbit,” describes this pursuit: Of mixing many random details and ideas—points without any connection—and only loosely following the guidelines of womenswear. It feels a bit like chasing Lewis Carroll’s White Rabbit down the rabbit hole, not knowing where it will lead them!
Rokh’s random study of identity codes is exemplified by othier particular crafting method. Before they mix anything, they reduce a garment to its core structure, decoding all of its functionalities, then transfer those codes and details onto another garment’s shape and form. Theirs is a trans mutative way of cutting. They work to evolve the piece and embed the memory of one garment within another.
This season, they have explored the practical utility jacket and the formal evening gown. In decoding the jacket, they found the heavy double-stitching, fell stitching and internal fusing characteristic to workwear; patch pockets, expandable pockets, and flap pockets, with inner straps to bear weight.
They then took those functions and reshaped and repurposed them onto the sensual and raw form of the evening gown. They studied the cut-outs, draped both soft and sturdy fabrics across the body; through this ongoing study of construction, they arrived at an image of youthful sensuality.
In this collection, a glamorous ’90s evening gown is cut asymmetrically into a half-cropped skirt with utilitarian patch pockets. A classic workman’s jacket, also covered in pockets, becomes a fluid evening skirt, paired with a corset top with straps falling elegantly off both shoulders. In turn, through careful incisions, a soft candy pink skirt with raw seams bears the motifs of a utility jacket. As the pieces come down the runway, you can see the parallels running between timeless utility wear and the perpetual glamour of the evening dress.
Their random crafting method also deeply affects our use of materials. Silk satin is the core of this season. Rok used silk to highlight the imbalance between formal materials and functional shapes. Inversely, heavy cotton gabardine with a twill finish was used to create voluptuous eveningwear. There are soft sun-bleached pastels and full-feathered and satin frocks covered in utilitarian stitching.
Rok also wanted to use PVC with a glossy finish to emphasize this idea of youthful sensuality. This evokes memories of Rok’s time at Central Saint Martins. Many students employed PVC, as they worked to create random identities of their own.
Rokh Spring/Summer 2022 Collection – White Rabbit
For more on luxury lifestyle, travel and news follow our Instagram and subscribe to our VIP network to access special invites, discounts, and upgrades.
