V to V of VETEMENTS

Last week, three-season-old collective VETEMENTS showed a wonderfully sober series of distorted “urban uniforms” for A/W15 to industry-wide applause. Today, we bring you a V to V of what you need to know about one of fashion's newest talents, accompanied by David Luraschi’s documentation of the show and portraits of the VETEMENTS women.

V#1. VETEMENTS’ team came from Maison Margiela
The head designer of the brand, alongside the six other members of the team, were previously at Maison Margiela – which is perhaps where VETEMENTS’ distorted cuts, plays on proportion and careful attention to minimal detailing comes from.

V#2. VETEMENTS choose a collective anonymity
But, rather than enforcing a strict silence around the designers (as with a pre-Galliano Maison Margiela) it is a more relaxed approach to anonymity. "We are anonymous because we are a collective, but it’s not really our intention to hide our personalities; we just prefer to put our work in foreground," they explain.

V#3. VETEMENTS is an attitude, not an aesthetic
The A/W15 collection was inspired by "a winter wardrobe and the attitude that clothes give their wearer," and focused on "constructing 'attitude' elements into the pieces." VETEMENTS promote more than a visual embodiment of their ideals; it is the attitude of the VETEMENTS woman which unites their brand.

V#4. VETEMENTS women are effortlessly cool
The VETEMENTS woman "has young spirit, curiosity, she is effortless and cool… In general, all of the girls in the show have their own style and attitude, which totally represents the VETEMENTS women."

V#5. VETEMENTS cast from their friends and Facebook
Their shows have included friends and collaborators like stylist Lotta Volkova Adam and photographer Harley Weir; they explained that, "many of our models are friends who we hang out with. But we also spent the past few months going out to different parties and casting girls from all over Paris – and Facebook casting was an important element."

V#6. VETEMENTS is inspired by life
Rather than choosing specific cultural references for their inspiration, VETEMENTS state that “what’s most inspiring for us is the reality and life around us,” celebrating a burgeoning Parisian subculture.

V#7. VETEMENTS are shortlisted for the LVMH prize
The brand is one of 26 shortlisted nominees for the coveted 2015 LVMH prize, sitting alongside contemporaries like Jacquemus, Ryan Lo and Marques'Almeida.

V#8. VETEMENTS took A/W15 fashion to a red-lit sex club
For A/W15, VETEMENTS invited the fashion industry to Le Depot to see their collection; an infamous sub-terranean Parisian sex club, celebrating the underground culture from which they have emerged.