Student Designer Debuts Spring/Summer
2014 Line
BY CARA LEDWIDGE
STAFF WRITER
The lights grew dim and the voices hushed as new wave music filled Hayden 100, signaling the start of the Dardanian men’s and women’s spring/summer 2014 fashion show entitled “Network Theory.”
From the pink and white rose petals that adorned the floor to the personalized name tags, water bottles and programs that lined the seats, the auditorium was transformed into a high-end catwalk surrounded by various students, family, friends and professors who had all been invited to the show.
Then, as the music grew louder, the models began their journey down the stairs and onto the stage where they posed and sometimes even sat, while they modeled Matthew Coyne’s new line.
This season’s line featured both men’s and women’s fashions all designed by hand by Coyne. When asked how long it takes to prepare for something like this, Coyne said, “I’ve been working on these looks from about five months ago until late last night.”
Coyne was readily able to shoot off a list of where the inspiration behind the entire line came from.
“The Cure. 80s Berlin. Urban Hood Culture. Grace Jones. New Order. Pet Shop Boys. Kraftwerk. Jean-Paul Goude. Boy George. A$AP Rocky. Matty Healy. Culture Club. Michael Pitt. Robert Alfons. 808 and Heartbreak. Tumblr. Skinny, pale drugged out boys and girls. Jean Prouve. Malcolm McLaren. Network Theory,” he said.
“I just wanted to connect teenage tribes, youth tribes, from the ravers to the street kids all trying to attempt fine art,” Coyne added.
The first look to come out on the floor featured lots of floral pieces on a female model with a matching floral purse complimented by pops of neon in the sneakers she wore.
This set the tone for the rest of the line, which matched “club clothes and formal wear with various
types of athletic wear,” Coyne said.
Items that were featured included a black sequined dress that was pinned at the bottom into puffed sections, also paired with sneakers. Printed t-shirts and sweatshirts were paired with evening gowns and bags.
One male model had a kilt with “new wave” and similar themed words printed all around it. Zippers, pleats, sequins and plastic all were featured within the line.
A light gauze adorned many of the female models’ eyes as they walked onto the stage. An item that received oohs and ahhs from the crowd was a female model’s plastic floral mini skirt.
Sophomore Nicole Moore, one of the many models, featured a black and white gingham almost floor-length dress with floral accents paired with black cuffs and black heels.
“It’s an all new crew,” Coyne said. “Some models are friends of mine, but many of the models are people I just saw on campus who I thought fit my concept.”
After the show all the models joined Coyne in the alcoves of the auditorium to congratulate and thank him for being a part of the show.
“I think the show went really well,” Coyne said. “I’m so excited it all went the way I planned.”
“My favorite look would have to be some of the more athletic men’s wear, especially the t-shirt with the videocassette on the front,” David Lawton, a student who attended the event in support of Coyne, said.
“The show featured over 18 looks which can all be found on the Dardanian website,” Coyne continued.
When asked how long it takes to produce a look, Coyne said, “About four to six weeks to prepare because I believe in the difference handmade quality makes.”
“Matt’s Dardanian Collection was a gloriously subversive combination of 90s inspired street wear, high fashion silhouettes, and a smattering of classical art references,” Katy Tkach, a junior who attended the event, said. “His immaculate attention to detail and playfully gothic atmosphere created a joyous fusion of art with life. I look forward to any of his future projects.”
“I’m so happy to be finished, but I cannot wait until next season,” Coyne concluded.
