You know, sometimes you just stumble onto things. Or people, rather. Designers, in this case. It wasn’t like I set out with a big research project planned, folders neatly labeled and all that. Nah, that’s not really my style. My “practice,” if you can call it that, is a lot messier, more like rummaging through a fascinating attic until you find something that just clicks.
The Initial Spark
So, I was in a bit of a style rut. Everything felt… samey. You know that feeling? I was flicking through stuff online, probably avoiding doing something I was supposed to be doing. And then I saw this piece. It was a shirt, I think, but it was twisted, off-kilter. Interesting. Not screaming for attention, but definitely not blending into the wallpaper either. That got my attention.
I did a bit of digging. Just casual, mind you. Found out it was from a brand called Monse. Okay, new name for me. Then, the interesting part. One of the guys behind it, Fernando Garcia, was also co-creative director at Oscar de la Renta. Now, that made me pause. Oscar de la Renta! That’s like, establishment. Elegance. Red carpet gowns your grandmother would approve of (in a good way).
Trying to Make Sense of It
This is where my “practice” really began. I started looking at Monse stuff. And then Oscar de la Renta stuff from his tenure.
- Monse: Deconstructed. A bit edgy. Clever. Wearable, but with a twist.
- Oscar de la Renta (under him and Laura Kim): Still elegant, for sure. But there was a freshness. Something lighter, more modern than I expected.
Honestly, at first, I was a bit like, “Huh?” How does the same brain do both? It felt like two different designers. For a while, I just kept looking, letting it sink in. I wasn’t trying to write a thesis, just trying to understand the vibe. I’d see a Monse look and think, “Okay, that’s cool, that’s architectural.” Then I’d see an Oscar gown and think, “Wow, that’s beautiful, but it doesn’t feel stuffy.”
The Slow Realization
It took a while. It wasn’t some overnight revelation. But slowly, I started to see the threads. It wasn’t about two completely different personalities. It was more like two different expressions of a very modern sensibility. There’s a certain intelligence to the designs, in both brands. A sense of ease, even in the grandest Oscar de la Renta gowns. And with Monse, it’s like he’s taking classic ideas and just… playing with them. Turning them inside out, quite literally sometimes.
My process was just observation, really. Looking at photos, watching clips of shows if I could find them. No grand interviews read, no deep dives into fashion theory. Just looking, and thinking. And what I sort of landed on was this appreciation for how he (along with Laura Kim, of course, they’re a team) manages to inject this youthful, almost irreverent energy into even the most established of houses, while still respecting its core. And with their own label, Monse, they just let that playful, clever side run free.
So yeah, that was my little journey with understanding Fernando Garcia’s work. No big pronouncements, just how I saw it unfold. It’s funny how you can find inspiration in the most unexpected connections, isn’t it?
