Munthe Plus Simonsen

Forgive me for saying so, but I don’t think Munthe Plus Simonsen’s Spring / Summer 2012 collections is one of the most original collections we’ve seen. Haven’t we seen all these ideas before…? And not too long ago, for that matter.

Perhaps I’m only cynical because I’m such an avid girl-fan of Isabel Marant, but I’m sure there’s more to it. And what strikes me as yet more odd is that Munthe Plus Simonsen have taken staple ideas from Marant’s Autumn / Winter collection and attempted a kind of style which transcends seasons. As far as I’m concerned, this is a failed attempt.

Kanye West’s Spring / Summer collection received widespread disclaim for his use of furs and ill-fitting shapes. Long-haired furs have been picked up on by a number of designers as a key trend for autumn / winter, but even the Scandinavians won’t be wearing fur this thick in the summer sun! And as for these tassel boots, the shape is pretty dire. The strange bagging to the ankle, the sack-like effect that hangs around the calf; these boots look more like paper bags that have started to shred at the sides… They also don’t hold a torch to Marant’s Mony Fringe wedge boots, which sold out on net-a-porter what feels like eras ago.

I suppose the moral of the story is “don’t try to imitate what you can’t do better”. You can’t take long-haired fur, mini shorts, and tassel boots from one specific designer and then fail to do them any justice. This collection receives a “thumbs down” from me.

 Text by Abbie Saunders