The coed collection included a collaboration with Fila on sportswear classics with a twist.
“It’s been a long fashion week,” said Glenn Martens. Fresh off his debut collection for Diesel, presented in Milan, the designer was back in Paris working on his coed line for Y/Project, which this season included a collaboration with Fila.
Despite taking on an extra job, Martens has been enjoying the slower pace of work on Y/Project, after presenting his first unifed men’s and women’s collection last season. It’s allowed him to take stock and delve deeper into product categories.
“I think it results in a collection which feels a bit more settled,” he said. “In the past, we would have 20 million stories in one collection, and people kind of lost it at a certain point because they really didn’t know what to focus on.”
The label’s signature twisted constructions focused on the neckline: think sweaters with multiple neckholes, or tailored jackets and coats with a collar-framing additional lapel. Slipdresses came with sheer organza panels for DIY draping, while fake leather jackets featured triple shoulder constructions that could be worn several ways.
There was a tropical undercurrent to the lineup, echoed in the whorled floral patterns incorporated into denim jackets and skirts, and oversize earrings like gilded orchids. Shoes included the label’s second collaboration with Melissa on jelly slides topped with oversize blooms.
But you could also find a simple white men’s shirt, or a selection of evergreen jeans with graphic details like a foldover waist flap. More accessible still were the Fila pieces, which included tracksuits with snap button panels that peeled off to reveal the logo of both brands.
Sweatshirts came with slit necklines, while double sweaters had an extra top attached for decorative draping. “It’s these really strong twists that we did in the past, which were implemented on very iconic Fila garments from the archives,” Martens said, adding that he also put his stamp on the sportswear brand’s Grant Hill sneaker.
With his increasingly focused approach, the designer makes a powerful case for slowing down. “I’m never gonna go back to four collections a year,” he said with a laugh.
