Danshan A/W 21 review for Original Magazine

  • Clare Hennelly
Danshan’s Autumn Winter 21 menswear collection explores the Danshan man as a sentient being, a continuation from their philosophy that we should ‘Be kind to each individual and ourselves, take a more sustainable approach to life, both mentally and physically.’. As a more emotional and considered approach that what we may have been encouraged to do over the past year, perhaps to realise that we are not our survival modes, not our instincts for preservation and structure but to capture the perhaps unappreciated beauty of time passing, intercutting with close ups suggesting the only thing moving right now might be the sun and all too quickly, highlighting each individual thread and detail along the way. It makes sense that Danshan have chosen to use this highly stylised filmic language, in a short film by Luke Farley, incorporating tableau into their main cinematography with an endless pan to the right on a wide lens, it demands multiple viewings to really get the full experience. Rewarding you for trying to catch every blink-and-you’ll-miss-it detail (check what happens at 1:50 in the video!), the eerily refracted transitions between the models walking amongst themselves, never able to leave but never questioning it or changing their expressions. Reminding me of the warped and all-encompassing playgrounds of the cinema of Yorgos Lanthimos, especially The Favourite with its fisheye sensibilities, this is exactly the distortion parallels Danshan’s conscious designs. Working in a cool and occasionally metallic colour palette of blacks, blues, greys and whites, this collection never steps out of the austere boundaries of menswear to keep it accessible and versatile for genuine everyday wear. The key detail in the outerwear in this collection is the genderless padded silhouette over the shoulders down to the hips, both akin to a mythical cape and a dominating armour. The brand’s signature freehand lines have a more emotive flourish and simplicity, balancing the oversized structure with satin in a few variations - the combination reminding me of cheongsams and their formidable elegance. Pulling in more effortless Asian aesthetic with the longer cut coats that float with a Wuxia flair, with straight cut trousers that are tailored *just enough* to give a timeless flow with any movement. The smaller details really make everything sing here; the slight cut in the middle of the trousers to show off the patent boots, the seemingly handdrawn line drawings continuously drawing the eye downwards and never straying too far from the centre, the embroidered motif of an amalgamation of water and a face (at least that’s how I saw it), the wider shoulders on that perfect black coordinated set with the white pattern. The soundtrack by Eddie Amos, sounds like Jon Hopkins is soundtracking Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life; echoing in a contained space, layering and tunnelling into your subconscious through hypnotising waves of ambience. Never quite minor or major. Faint traces of ricocheting strings in the background - and then the booming electric whirring. It felt like my experience of the transition from pre coronavirus to now. Layering sounds that are comforting but begin to intersperse with a dissonance that is hard to keep up with. And then survival mode kicks in, eventually giving way to an experience without the white noise, the base melody becoming clear and harmonised. This is a great collection that recognises the value of cultivating your own perspective that evolves as you do, a serene and welcome addition to a particularly dynamic London Fashion Week.

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