Heliot Emil has fast become one of the most talked about brands of the schedule – fusing a streetwear-adjacent principle with the updated dark futurism that brands like Rick Owens have pioneered. Developing a singular brand vision as an emerging brand in today’s fashion landscape is tough – but it’s something that Heliot Emil has managed to achieve with precision. That is, if you take the swathes of fashion’s cool kids fighting to get into it’s show as anything to go by.
Showing in an industrial office space in the heart of Paris’ shopping district, the Scandinavian brand continued to progress this dark futurism for SS23. Here’s the 5 pieces we can’t stop thinking about from the show.
THE BOOTS!
Playing with proportion is always fun – especially when you challenge perceptions at the same time. Making up nearly half of the lineup today were these boots – leather and chrome, with heels that reminded us of a wedge of staples in their form. Extended beyond the main leather body of the boot itself, the effect was of a new type of body armour – utilitarian and distinctly Heliot, down to the toes.
CHROME TWIST TOP
Speaking of body armour, and one look that made a top look like wearable art was this silver wrap-around micro top. Forming an abstract, rounded form which twisted under one arm to wrap back around the models’ neck from the front, this was an asymmetrical work of wonder that demonstrated the brand’s progression in technological process, concept and craft.
PUFFED-UP PUFFER
One item Heliot Emil has become known for (alongside their classic tailoring) are their exaggerated puffer jackets – becoming rounder and more abstract in shape each season. Whereas last season we saw them experiment with reflective material, this piece was striking in its silhouette – almost duvet-like, and with a larger-than-life spiked ‘collar’. Accentuated by silver zips, it was held together in the middle with a thin strap which housed the brand’s ‘H’ logo, again in metal hardware.
GREY SKIRT-TROUSERS
Perhaps the only pop of grey in the entire collection (aside from a series of 3M reflective cloaks donned by singers mid-way through the show – but that’s a different story), this piece was classic Heliot. Forming a layered skirt over trousers, asymmetry was utilised again as a hip cut-out, with its signature metal H filling the space. C’est bon.
RETURN OF THE BOX-BAG
Another Heliot staple are its accessories. Last season, these came in the form of silver ridged box bags which looked almost like a cubular briefcase – instantly recognisable and a little bit dysfunctional – just how we like it. This season, they made a return on the runway in some new iterations: plain black leather, the classic option, or accentuated with pops of silver metal hardware, which matched the boots we mentioned previously. Bringing strict structure to sometimes trailing looks, they served to ground this collection in the brand’s classic design codes. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
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