Is Vetements' Latest Runway Too Vetements?

There is no doubt that the traditional runway has come a long, long way from its editor-only, salon-staged origins, but the intention has remained the same: to present and review a collection. So does Vetements’ latest runway take things a bit too far?

From the beginning, the brand has challenged fashion preconceptions — from unofficial runways in gay clubs to a collection of collaborations to the signature oversized sweatshirts that redefine “one size fits all.” Layering, too, and anarchistic “bad taste” styling has been a signature of Lotta Volkova who dresses Vetements’ presentations.

For Fall 2018 menswear, the brand went all-in, sending models down the runway in layers upon layers of clothes. Patterns cover patterns, kimonos cover flannels, headscarves cover hats, jackets cover jackets, creating an indiscernible mélange of fabrics. There might be a bodysuit or two, but good luck finding them. It’s nearly impossible to evaluate any actual design because it’s nearly impossible to make out where one item ends and the other begins. There’s no immediate conceptual or artistic element to it either, like in the way Rei Kowakubo presents an amorphous dress as a critique of body ideals, for example. It begs the question why have a runway show at all? And perhaps that is exactly the point.

See a selection of Vetements Fall 2018 menswear below.