Y Project Adds a Dash of Gothic Elegance to Shiny Nineties Club Kids

The Y/Project menswear presentation from Paris Fashion Week also included several womenswear pieces shown alongside the collection. Overall the look was a homage to 90s European club kids with some smart construction and deeper historic influences thrown into the melting pot.

Glenn Martens who has been heading the Y/Project brand since last year, spoke to Fashion One about growing up in Bruges, with the Belgian designer giving a lot of credit to the classic beauty and culture of the city, especially the gothic architecture and historical elements. In contrast he also identifies as a nineties kid who loves techno and trash and this duality is what led to this season’s collection, recognizing a recent revival of the times.

Elegant overcoats and boxy jackets are worn over baggy drawstring pants and pleated trousers, clashing shiny reflective fabrics like PVC and latex and full hologram print suits give a nightclub vibe whilst the voluminous shirts and oversized turtlenecks give a teenage nostalgia to grown up clothes worn on skinny young frames. The palette is mostly dark with some gaudy blues and reds adding a dash of colour and some unexpected camel adding back in some refined sophistication. There were further throwbacks to 90s accessories with detached collars worn like chokers and large metal rivets and eyelets adding interest in the detailing on mid and 3/4 length vinyl jackets, while drawstring bags and oversized pockets also made an appearance.