WE11DONE's SS23 "Rough Strokes" Collection Balances Revolt and Seduction
Inspired by punkish takes on Édouard Manet’s French modernist paintings.
For Spring/Summer 2023, Seoul-based design label WE11DONE sought to explore the campy collision between punk sensibilities and the French modernist paintings of Édouard Manet. Titled “Rough Strokes,” the collection specifically pays respect to the Impressionist artist’s famed work, Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe, with a contemporary, postmodernist agenda.
Here’s the vision that the brand pictures: “It’s aperitivo hour, somewhere between 1863 and 3057. You’re getting ready to board an ornate horsedrawn carriage while wearing contemporary silhouettes with an exquisite dash of nostalgia.”
With that in mind, the collection embraces perversions within contrasts, incorporating elements of 19th-century romanticism, anarchical rebellions and daring provocations. This ideology manifests across the line’s eclectic pairings; wool outerwear acquaints itself with a dainty lacy bodysuit and form-hugging stockings, while pleated PVC skirts meet jumpsuits with removable biker jacket sleeves in leather and distressed mohair knits alike.
In a more literal interpretation of Manet’s work, WE11DONE manipulated several silhouettes, including duchesse silk satin frocks, trousers and bonded leather ensembles, to mimic the flowing nature of a wave. Additionally, certain items resemble crumbled paper with an all-over froissé, while prints speak for themselves with bold, all-over statements.
Rounding out the range, the brand offers a slew of accessories, including pleated leather heels, embellished clutch pouches and spiked heart-shaped jewelry. The standout, though, is the Touch Bag, which the label calls this season’s “lingerie-inspired hero piece.”
Peruse WE11DONE’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection “Rough Strokes” in the gallery above.
Elsewhere in fashion, check out every item in Palace’s Holiday 2022 collection.
