Astrid Andersen takes to the catwalk at London Fashion Week for the first time in Autumn/Winter 2012 as a part of the prestigious MAN menswear showcase bringing her unique sports-luxe aesthetic with sophisticated twists to the international stage. This season the collection takes inspiration from American Hip-Hop collective The Wu Tang Clan with their powerful sense of group mentality and the chaotic confusion with which this is often expressed. The confidence arising between these men, each as individuals with their own eccentricities within the group, traversing the same paths within the same world and entirely in control of the rules and boundaries of their world is something which inspired the designer and that is captured in the collection.
Uniform is what defines the group in homage to the ancient Shaolin Monks of China - being a part of the monastery defined members as the most notorious warriors of Chinese history, and Astrid Andersen celebrates this with the debut of a graphic logo. It has been said that 1 Shaolin Monk equals 1,500 soldiers in battle and it with this aspiration that Astrid Andersen created her Autumn/Winter 2012 collection – to dress men to feel 1,500 times the man. A palette of burnt oranges and reds pay direct reference to these ancient traditions and become contemporary alongside neon pinks, reflective surfaces courtesy of 3M and steely grey.
Astrid Andersen graduated from The Royal College of Art in 2010 and went on the win the Brioni Creativity and Innovation Award and the River Island MA Student Bursary Award designing 3 looks for the high street retailer. Her graduate collection was styled by Simon Foxton reaffirming the brilliance with which her work has been received. Astrid Andersen was awarded a place in the Fashion East menswear installations for AW11 before being accepted for a place in the prestigious MAN showcase for AW12. With support now coming from across the industry and with no signs of stopping, Astrid Andersen remains the one-to-watch in menswear this season.
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