During Lisbon Fashion Week, the Ricardo Andrez Fall Winter 2019 collection took to the ramp and gave us something a little different. Different, in the subtle way which has become the brand’s signature. Since launching his own label in 2006, Ricardo Andrez has always gone beyond the basic way in which we perceive and interpret sportswear and streetwear.
He has pushed the envelope by trying to reinvent the way we see it, wear it and even style it. But perhaps most importantly, he has been blurring the lines between these subcultures through his designs. Consciously doing this in a subtle manner that remains commercial and, well, wearable. The
Ricardo Andrez Fall Winter 2019 collection is no different. The first hint we got about what his collection will be all about was an Instagram post he posted 5 days before the show. The post showed an electronic ticker board with a caption that read “5 days to go! FW19 presentation @lisboafashionweek 10th March • 8 pm.
The visual pattern of which was visible in the form of print on a retro-inspired jumpsuit. This is exactly the sort of subtle references and “blurring of lines” that the young Portuguese designer is becoming known for. Historically speaking streetwear has been seen as an unrefined casual subculture. With the recent sport-lux wave that has been crashing the industry season after season, this has started to change. Sportswear has now become synonymous with the luxurious leisure set.
Although this is the case, it is still seen as casual attire in the sense that it is worn by those who have “made it” but not by those who are “on the grind” or hard-working. This often translates into an assumption that a sports-lux wearer is unaware of the corporate environment and even unaware of serious world issues. With the subtle reference through the electronic ticker board, Ricardo Andrez fights this stereotype. It challenges the perception of who we think would wear streetwear. The term streetwear and stockbroker doesn’t sound like a natural fit but why should it not be?
The collection is a blend not only between streetwear and sportswear but between different vintage influences. Various silhouettes are reminiscent of the 90s while certain colour palates and lines have been inspired by the 70s.
