Michael Angel (Q3368)
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Michael Angel is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Michael Angel |
Michael Angel is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
Digital prints have long been Michael Angel's modus operandi, and it seems the rest of the fashion world has caught up: Mirrored head-to-toe prints have been having a moment. But Angel remains focused on personal progress, and this season he's limiting himself to just one pattern (as opposed to more than a few, typically): wispy, feminine feathers that simultaneously "look mechanical and tough, like shards of razors."There was a new emphasis on outerwear for Fall, with cocoon-shaped, masculine-inspired bomber jackets and drop-shoulder topcoats shown over straight and narrow shift dresses. Angel also added knitwear to his offerings. A massive sweater woven from ropelike strands of merino wool was strictly editorial, but the stiff wide-leg trousers with an inverted box pleat were an on-trend example of how Angel is wising up when it comes to sales, and featuring more practical items that still show off his unique approach.
6 February 2012
Michael Angel is walking like an Egyptian for Spring. He was inspired by the "ancient civilization that was so ahead of its time," he said, and also wanted to pay homage to his mother, who is from Cairo. So the designer's hallmark digital prints featured motifs like a portrait of Cleopatra painted in the 1920's, or the floor plans for the Egyptian pyramids, which were then layered with a gold lace and mirrored, Rorschach-style. Angel nailed this season's ubiquitous sports trend with drawstring anoraks and comfy elastic "track pants" in a striped jacquard. He also put a lot of thought into proportions this time around, pairing a cocoon-ish varsity jacket with a rippling sunburst-pleat skirt, for example. Or adding an unexpected blouson to the back of a super-fitted "Martian tech fabric" shift dress. Someone recently told Angel that the woman he designs for is "oddly elegant."Keeping this in mind, he asked his good friend and muse Julia Stegner to pose for the lookbook and help style the shoot. One of her favorite pieces was a dress that could be buttoned into a T-shirt. It was indeed oddly elegant when worn with a leather bomber that had tapestrylike canvas insets.
12 September 2011
Michael Angel was spot on trend for Resort. The designer revisited the classic Hawaiian shirt (which we've seen quite a few references to this season) with his signature digital prints. Except instead of blowing up a hibiscus photograph (his normal technique), Angel shrunk it down to thumbnail size and used it in a tiled pattern on a few pieces, such as a high-necked silk tank with a cinched, drawstring waist.There were still plenty of large-scale prints, though. For example, a giant, screened portrait of Christy Turlington (Angel's muse for Fall) turned up on a long skirt, which was paired with a leather sweatshirt that had cutout shoulders. The aforementioned hibiscus picture was also blown up and patchworked on a sweet shirtdress with a rugby collar. Surprisingly enough, some of the best looks here came sans print. One highlight was a tomato red dress with a long skirt and sleeves that had a dramatic cutout in back. Another was the cloudy plastic trenchcoat, a top seller from Angel's Spring collection (we spied a similar one at Celine a few days later). Angel laughed, "Who would've thought that latex would do so well?"
5 June 2011
Michael Angel was a no-show at New York fashion week, opting for private appointments instead. The designer starts every sentence with "this girl" when describing his looks. For Fall, this girl is "urban, probably in her thirties, practical, and stylish—but with a few quirks." Perhaps Angel was referring to his pal Christy Turlington Burns, who posed for the lookbook. True, the supe is now 42, but she embodies the mix of feminine, savvy, and tough that Angel was going for this season.Rothko paintings and the peacoat served as jumping-off points. Then Angel added in his signature digital prints, which he said are less precious than those he's done recently. There was a crumpled-paper pattern on a body-con shift cut from modal "that will suck you right up and in." In a tip of the hat to Rothko, it came color-blocked in a palette of purple, burgundy, and yam. Inventive takes on the classic sailor's coat included one with a quirky collared scarf, a mustard-colored felt topper that could be worn straight or flipped around and upside down, and a cropped number with ombré silk taffeta panels attached for a trompe l'oeil effect. While the billowing caftans and jumpsuits in an allover print might overwhelm those who aren't model-tall, Christy sure rocked them here.
24 February 2011
"How can I do what I do with prints and be a minimalist?" So pondered Michael Angel, the Australian with a gift for graphics who wants a piece of the big-time nineties revival now in full effect. His answer? Make the prints fantastic, and simplify the rest.Prints, of course, are Angel's bright, sexy calling card, and as usual, they were a success. The same was true of the simplification—up to a point. The predominant silhouette (a double-layer trompe l'oeil wrap skirt with a revealing front thigh slit) looked fresh, but Angel showed too many subtle variations of it, and not much else. Minimalism shouldn't mean minimal options.Angel did use the skirt layers effectively to experiment with texture. Leather paired with silk twill had depth, and a bottom layer encrusted with a frosting of heavy sequins emerged and disappeared as its wearer moved. Up above, he cut a men's dress shirt off at the breastbone, creating a midriff-exposing collar top that appeared, in one form or another, in almost every look.Intrigued by the pious modesty he had observed on a recent holiday in Rome, Angel played with the idea of hiding and revealing. He used latex (a naughty rejoinder to the ecclesiastical inspiration) to obscure the salient parts of the female form. Layered over the prints, the opaque latex made for an interesting color play. It was smart to pair the showstopping prints with cleanly tailored separates with an edge. Next time, it would be nice to see a few more choices.
9 September 2010
For his first Resort collection, Michael Angel turned his attention to lightweight fabrics that can transition easily from day to night. His customarily bold digital prints were captivating, specifically when applied to a one-shouldered Grecian-style gown and chiffon robe-dress. The graphic designs shown on more structured party dresses and shifts didn't stand out as much—Angel's patterns hit the right futuristic-boho note when applied to breezier silhouettes. Less graphic but also appealing was a selection of "convertible dresses," so-named because the fabrics can be twisted and worn in several ways.
14 June 2010
Australian designer Michael Angel has made a name for himself with striking digital prints, but for Fall, he set out to evolve his signature look. In fact, the first half of his show—which featured draped mohair jackets, alpaca skirts, and a crepe and angora dress—was virtually pattern-free. "I wanted the shape of the garments to stand out here, not the color," Angel explained backstage. The clothes were beautifully constructed, but it was difficult to trace the connection between these sophisticated looks and the parade of printed body-con minidresses that closed the show. What's more, the in-your-face sexiness of the finale frocks felt out of sync with the relaxed mood taking shape on this week's runways. Kemp Muhl was more in touch with the prevailing silhouette, perched goddess-like in the front row wearing a billowy, hooded maxi gown from Angel's Fall 2008 collection. The designer would do well to place next season's effort in a more relevant context.
11 February 2010