Jack WardlawFresh from another impressive collection shown during Paris Men’s Fashion Week in January, Gosha Rubchinskiy – the menswear designer and photographer – has just teamed up with online retail giant, ASOS, to create their SS15 lookbook.
As part of ASOS’s continuing dedication to working with fresh talent, they have teamed up with the Russian maverick to capture the look and feel of the SS15 collection. With Max Pearmain styling the shoot, the lookbook is a series of portraits that bear Rubchinskiy’s signature gritty artistry.
A master at capturing disenfranchised youth, Rubchinskiy had a hands-on approach throughout the project, from casting the models to picking the location (London’s South Bank – near the river and in a graffiti covered skatepark) as well as the creative direction.
Skateboarding and streetwear are two of Rubchinskiy’s biggest influences and these come across in the urbanised, youthful photographs displaying some of ASOS’s key pieces for SS15.
Graphic print shirts, layered t-shirts and luxe basic separates are the focus of this season, in mostly neutral colours with splashes of vibrant orange disrupting the collection, a reference to some of Rubchinskiy’s runway shows that often disrupt the status quo of Paris Fashion Week.
Rubchinskiy grew up in 1990’s Moscow and he frequently references his experiences with youthful rebellion in his work. This collection is thankfully no different. The consideration of marketability has not stopped him from channelling the spirit of teenage rebellion for the online retailer.
Heavy outerwear, smart shirts and casual sportswear all come crashing together to create a dynamic set of images that reflect the vibrant youth culture that surrounds us today.
Fashion’s love affair with all things cool and youthful shows no signs of slowing down and in menswear, the 90’s is definitely having a moment before the 70’s comes in later this year and takes over. Forget Pokémon, Nokia phones and Steps, ASOS and Gosha Rubchinskiy’s version of the 90’s is way cooler and feels very right for now.