One of the standout menswear shows of the S/S 09 season was also one of its darkest. Formerly of much loved, sadly defunct label, Cloak, Robert Geller was an alumnnus of Rhode Island School of Design and worked for Marc Jacobs (rumour has it he attended the show) before joining Alexandre Plokhov at Cloak. The 3rd season of his eponymous label took place in a dramatic gallery space with an extending rope sculpture and doomy music by Eighties band, Death in June. Gypsies and Eastern European ideals of masculinity was the starting point for the collection, translating to military style detailing, Cossack inspired jackets and a certain Gothic formality. In a menswear season dominated by sporty casualness, this was a different vision of smoky, rugged elegance.
Dazed Digital asked Robert to exclusively document the process leading up to his show – from fittings to backstage.
Dazed Digital: This collection looks like a follow-on from last season but a world away from the bright S/S collection of 08.
Robert Geller: The thing with last Spring was that I forced myself to do something different to what I did at Cloak. I felt I needed to distance myself from it. I realized after last Spring I was trying to do something that was not me.. I felt that I didn’t give myself any barriers for last Fall. And this is much more what I actually like to do.
DD: Your shows always have a sense of theatre to it.
RG: I worked with this great architect called Isei Suma to create sculptures to go along with the themes of the collection. You have seven minutes to make an impression to editors who are seeing show after show. It’s important there’s a whole atmosphere from the moment you walk into the space. So it’s very important with the music and the set.
Death in June played. It just fit in terms of style. It was strummy guitar, kinda Spring-y and happy but the guy’s voice was droney and had a darkness to it.
DD: Your vision of menswear is very specific.
RG: It’s a bit more specific. Not the average guy is going to be interested in it. To really get the look you really have to be into fashion. I still wanted to keep the masculinity, which makes it easier for some men. It’s not peacock dressing.
DD: It was dark but also romantic and poetic.
RG: That’s the thing I love about men. Men that can be tough and have a romantic side, a sensitivity. That’s what this collection is about. Looking at Eastern European ideas of masculinity, how there’s a real need to have a tough exterior and protected. From my experience, when you break that barrier there’s a very sensitive and beautiful person. That’s what I like in clothing. You can have a toughness, also because it makes you feel strong but able to show a bit of romance. In New York, more than most places, I like to have a shell, something that protects me but also to be able to show some romance. I don’t want to be some mega-tough guy. You want to be able to draw them in but also to feel safe.
DD: You used to have a womenswear label (Harald) Are you going to reintroduce that or concentrate on menswear?
RG: I’m going to concentrate on menswear. I have a real strong passion for menswear. I love designing menswear and I think there’s not enough designers who give their full attention to it. Designers are forced to add womenswear for financial reasons and it doesn’t always work out. It’s something I might do in the future but right now I want to concentrate on menswear. I’m proud of being a menswear designer.
DD: Is music a big part of your design process? Looking at the collection you can see rock stars wearing it.
RG: It is but it’s not a bigger part than literature. I feel my collections are more influenced by the fantasy of a place. Eastern Europeans don’t really dress like this but images that were evoked by me thinking about them, doing a bit of research but there is a music that goes with it in my mind. It all comes together.
I started to look at gypsies. That was the very first idea. I looked into Cossack cultures, a little bit of circus. I love to research and find out about places. It’s part of the fun of being a designer. I did an overall view of different parts of Eastern Europe to create this look.
