Patrik Ervell couldn't have chosen a more topical theme than the
friction between repression and revolt, so it seemed rather
"fashion-y" of him to deny any political context for his new
collection. The way he was pitching it, his theme was really his
way round a new take on the aesthetic of the uniform. "What
authority looks like now," he explained. "You disarm it by
referencing it." Still sounds pretty political, but what-evs—it
fortunately made for a strong, even radical showing.  The
authority Ervell referenced was a police state. The uniforms
were those of urban commandos. The opening outfit—a sweater in
nylon-patched electric blue baby alpaca, matched to pleated
flecked wool pants—set the tone: a Blade Runner -ish combo of
tech and retro. Ervell's womenswear made the point with most
clarity, like the outfit that layered a long coat over a silk
dress. It had a vintage make-do feel, the sort of repurposed
outfit you might expect from girls gone underground when the
crackdown kicked in. But clarity ultimate