Kolya Bogatyrev’s Dialogue of Renewal at Humana Second Hand
In what is largely considered the biggest second hand thrift store in Europe, Kolya Bogatyrev showcased his newest collection, CONTRAARGUMENTUM: A Dialogue of Renewal. Humana Kaufhaus is five stories of vintage and thrift – from the outside it looks like a gorgeous miniature version of Buckingham Palace - but that’s probably just these American eyes.
Photo Credit: Mathijs de Jong
‘CONTRAARGUMENTUM” - to be against the argument. The collection injected hope into the lifecycle of textiles while also presenting it’s dissonance, playing with the models in various states of undress and the needed conversation that spans between creating and waste and the future.
Entering the space, there’s an overwhelming amount of clothing, bags, accessories, shoes, and even books for a vintage lover to sort through, accessible through a spiral staircase leading up to five levels, all organized by clothing type. The location was meant to be another layer to the conversation of sustainability, seeing secondhand as abundance. Where some might enter a vintage store and see textiles at their last stop, Bogatyrev sees just the beginning.
Attendees at CONGTRAARGUMENTUM: A Dialogue of Renewal.
Photo Credit: Mathijs de Jong
CONGTRAARGUMENTUM: A Dialogue of Renewal is a conversation on rebirth through pieces that have been tossed aside, and the necessary intentionality that is required of upcycling. All pieces are not ‘new’, but sustainably crafted from secondhand materials. By taking what is most often classified as waste and creating structure, Bogatyrev delivers an argument against the disposability of textiles, and linear production cycle we often find ourselves adhering to as an industry.
Bogatyrev also showcased the themes of constraint through production details – the purposefulness of slow music as models walked the runway. The methodical walk could also be taken as a nod towards slow fashion in general, and a general disregard to the fast fashion giants that have such a devastating impact in the industry as a whole. Where large corporations are all loud and flashing trends, Bogatyrev’s collection stands opposite.
Photo Credit: Mathijs de Jong
Bogatyrev layered looks with compiled textures, leaning on denim, blazers, linen, lace, and belts. Ties were used in intriguing ways outside the usual four-in-hand knot, crafting bows and abstract shapes around the neck. Bogatyrev took imaginative liberty with draping and suiting in his collection, seeking to create something all together new from recognizable secondhand garments.
Photo Credit: Mathijs de Jong
Some looks played with interest in the waistband specifically, being fully removed, doubled, or pantsless entirely. Shoes were upcycled as well, with various pieces of fabric added to flats. Several pieces were a simple addition to the collection, showecasing the designer’s branding across the chest.
Photo Credit: Mathijs de Jong
The runway sparked imagination for two dominant textiles in my personal wardrobe - denim and button ups. Jeans were repurposed as collars underneath other tops, and button downs were fashioned in an avant-garde style, attaching the cuff to the shoulder to create pieces that took up beautiful space - and you likely already have them in your closet to upcycle your own looks.
Photo Credit: Mathijs de Jong
Colors were muted the majority of the show, but a few pops of electric blue were extremely satisfying to see. The blue ensemble featured beautiful pockets and belting details with the cinched waist. Bogatyrev used layers of small, thin, belts over the top of oversized blazers to create a few mini-dress looks.
Photo Credit: Mathijs de Jong
Other notable looks included a double leather blazer look, a micro skirt made of shoes, wire skirt over the ruching of a dress, underwear sewn with buttons, and jeans tied to the front of the model with a belt and around the ankles.
Photo Credit: Mathijs de Jong
The collection could have also been titled: “The Reimagination of the Button Down”. Bogatyrev used button downs to craft two gorgeous dresses, the skirts solid in shape, full on the hips, using an unknown number of tops.
Makeup and styling was kept simple and glowy - with highlight and blush, and simple eye makeup and lips. Each piece was styled with a simple hairstyle that didn’t take away attention from the clothing, either swept up or slightly tousled and worn naturally down.
Photo Credit: Mathijs de Jong
There were looks that raised the question of wearability and functionality - notably, one look featuring a linen sheet draped over the chest, leaving the model’s hands tied covering herself. Another showed a pair of jeans styled as a top with the model’s arms crossed over the chest and tucked into the pants, rendering them useless. As avid lovers of fashion as art, we loved to see the visual appeal of the pieces - if anything, Bogatyrev is starting conversations and offering hope with such unique pieces.
And continuously bringing the conversation to sustainability within fashion, is one of the largest steps forward towards changing the fast fashion mammoth we find ourselves battling in the industry.