Amiri’s SS20 menswear campaign is a whimsical ode to the social phenomenon known affectionately as the “Summer of Love”. The explosion of buoyant pastel shades and mellow, psychedelic graphics suggest a tonal shift away from the grungier aesthetic of his past collections.
Set against a luscious floral backdrop at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris with the melodic tones of The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” sounding in the background, the runway show certainly manifested a light and airy atmosphere. The sentiment clearly transcended throughout the bohemian-inspired mix of tie-dyed tops, crocheted knits and flared trousers, which featured in a myriad of bright and bold colour combinations.
It’s a project that is rooted in the counterculture of the 1969 Woodstock Festival and makes no attempt to refute the transparency of its influence. Mike Amiri harnesses the emotive power of Woodstock with graphic symbolism including a peace symbol formed of colourful butterflies and a graceful white dove, to name but a few. At their core, they are allegorical representations of the free-spirited nature that defined the festival and its associated cultural movements and perhaps even mirror the freedom that Amiri has enjoyed in shaping his campaign.
Pop cultural icon Jimi Hendrix is the de facto figurehead of the presentation, his very image embodying the spirits of peace, love and freedom that permeate the collection. His face is printed and airbrushed across a range of ready-to-wear pieces, most notably of which include a psychedelic trucker denim jacket which expertly uplifts a classic Amiri silhouette. Elsewhere, the collection is underpinned by the heavily distressed, premium denim, supple leathers and punchy, rock-inspired graphics that have come to define the LA-based label. All elements combine seamlessly to mark the confidence of a designer who is truly beginning to revel in the sureness of his craft.
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