Asger Juel Larsen‘s AW collection is the finest testament of the unique aesthetic he’s become renowned for, continuing his apocalyptic path through the past with a stylish tale that takes inspiration from the playful, powerful and deceptive in the American dream.Asger’s childhood fascination with the 1860s enlightened him to the utopian ideals of modern living that soon exposed and invited the conflict of cultures. The collection, ‘Uncle Sam’, embodies this clash, illustrating the playful times of a ‘wild’ and earthy America with the federal and uniform side of battle. With all his collections, a modern taste is also fused into the mix, with Gothic, mechanical and industrial backbone to the landscape that Asger inhabits so well.
Collection AW 10
Synthetic rubber, PVC, lame, neoprene and quilted leather build the delicate surface of defence. Contrasted by expensive and soothing materials such as cashmere wool, thick wool silk cotton and soft lam leather. The silhouette of the 20 pieces collection is wide and stretched in outer layers but tightly fitted at the body with knitted tops and second-skin trousers. Exaggerated lapels, contrasting collars, cuffs and hems in green leather add to the dramatic comic-esque feel.
Collection AW 10 – Uncle Sam
The character template of the collection is a mix of persona’s, from native Indian chiefs, to a U.S federal officer, and even a craft mechanic with tendencies to fetishism. The fluxing between past and present hybrids an alluring sense of androgyny with prints of heritage. Exaggerated Victorian collars and funnel necks engulf half of the head, jackets surgically corset the body in an asymmetric manner, and melted rust and other industrial coloured jeans reflect a city-weathered traveller. There’s a playful and powerful vulnerability, which is only heightened through the mixture of soft and hard fabrics, from cashmere and wool, to leather and tough Japanese denim. The boots were designed in collaboration with British rock n roll footwear brand Underground, giving an even heavier print to the runway.
An eye catching element of the collection is the sprinkling of stars that hide or pounce on the eye. They’re a twisted interpretation of the American flag, with a Gothic and ‘clockwork orange’ vibe that illustrates something beautiful but broken; a mood that embodies Asger’s thoughts on the American dream. Asger’s Gothic aesthetic continues to evolve and excite, with this new collection highlighting a wonderful dark magic in his eye.
Asger Juel Larsen
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Asger Juel Larsen is a designer that marks and merits the adventurous and rule breaking reinvention of modern menswear. Hailing from Denmark but truely establishing his art in the UK, Asger rocketed to the ‘top of the class’ amongst the fashionable elite at the London College of Fashion. Graduating in 2009 with a BA Menswear Degree, Asger has since then conquered the masters at the same institution. His aesthetics have been consistently evolving during the academic time frame, illustrating ambition and flare in the imagination. And with placements alongside John Richmond and Burberry Prorsum included in the tapestry of his background, the platform and landscape for Asger’s future collections is bright