Irakli Rusadze gleaned inspiration for this strong spring, gender-fluid collection from “Making Husbands,” an art exhibition featuring Christina Ramberg’s work that referenced John Cassavetes’ film “Husbands.” That has been seminal for the Situationist cofounder and creative director. As in seasons past, the brand’s collection also nodded vigorously to Rusadze’s birthplace, the country of Georgia.
A leitmotif appearing in many of the garments was the silhouette of tulips — either subtly embroidered or knitted — representing Georgia’s resistance against Russia and memories of the Tbilisi Massacre in 1989.
“Tulips as a flower for Georgians means a kind of a freedom,” said Rusadze, whose fashion is unconstrained, artfully mixing tailoring and sportswear.
Upside-down tulips were knitted around the base of a skirt, with their petals forming its edges. The flowers bloomed on shirts and a skirt, too.
Signature Situationist silhouettes, such as a half jacket, which looked like it had been spliced around the body, was parlayed into a shirt. There was a lot of outerwear — wide-shouldered and cropped jackets —hand-crocheted tops and long fluid trousers.
As in the past, Situationist’s garments were made of vegan and natural leather, plus materials including silk, wool, cotton and viscose, often from Italian deadstock fabrics. Colors were primarily khaki green, red, pink and purple, juxtaposed with black, beige and white.
Plated gold and silver jewelry, like earrings, bracelets, rings and a charm, were made of shrunken traditional Georgian embossed brass interior decorations from the 1980s, called chekanka, that Rusadze finds beautiful.
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