Label Under Construction SS11

The second shipment of Label Under Construction's S/S 2011 collection has arrived and we are very proud to share images of some of the most beautiful pieces that Luca has released yet. We are overjoyed at the opportunity to present these select articles from our shipments, which include knits featuring a very special, batch production run, of a "heavy" silk screening process. A fusion of two  creative mediums that serves to elevate Luca's work by way of palpable delineation providing a visual euphony that gives pause.

First is the dual layer, side panel shirt with the finest silk screening work he has produced to date. Constructed of cotton, this dual front panel knit provides a slim fit with the second layer draping to provide a relaxed look while maintaining a fitted silhouette.

The meticulous screen printing applied to the complex seam work highlights one of the greatest strengths of Label Under Construction. An exemplary piece to be sure.

The double front, silk screened, torsion knit. This is a selection from the project in which Luca had utilized yarns of Z and S twisted yarns to create opposing torsion panels. The knits were developed by carrying over this concept into the flat (2D) designs of the shirts as well. It is a project that rendered some interesting forms. The double front torsion presented below is easily the most successful of the project, both for its interesting form and its pragmatic approach to the overall piece as a wearable article.

The knit is constructed from multiple angular panels that form an asymmetric form that still flows. As with the other torsion articles, we see seam placement playing a major role in the overall effect.

The silk screening process in the torsion knit is an imperative as it places emphasis on the directional coiling of the yarns and the opposing ZS placement.

 

The reason we favor this piece in particular is the fluid movement, sans the stark angular disproportions that manifest in the silhouette of the other articles hailing from this quixotically conceptual series.

The trapezium shoulder knit boasts a dynamic print, at times, closely resembling a wood grain. There is a very organic energy imbued in the print that runs throughout the one piece front panel (through shoulder) construction.

The print carries through the back portion of the knit which is contrasted by the divergent elements of the over-dyed, name sake, trapezium panel and signature silk screened major arc below the collar line.

Graphite dyed, hooked slim pant. This slim fitting pant has a beautiful silhouette, sharp lines and marvelous details.

 The fabric has been laboriously worked over with the hooking process that has produced great effect in his knit wear. Luca's inference of its effect on woven fabrics is met with great reward. The tactile as well as visual experience that the textile provides is one that I can only call a unique encounter, for lack of better words.

The rear pockets are exquisitely situated between two darts which frame the setting with front pockets sitting in the vertical outer seam line (as seen in the series of images of the graphite dyed, notched cotton fabric proceeding the hooked cotton).

 

The slim pant in slub notched cotton. The following images can be used as reference of shape and construction details to the slim hooked pants as well.

 

Layer-0 S/S 2011

Italy has long held its reputation as being amongst the greatest producers of footwear and is oft argued to be the best. It is in Italy, that Alessio recently formed his alliance with an artisan who strives to preserve the old world methods. A process of shoe making that is diminishing to the point of extinction and may soon be forever a thing of the past. X has refined distinct signature techniques over the years. If he does not find an apprentice, his legacy will be limited to his body of work. A body of work providing a view, a reflection, of a master who has honed his skills and developed unique methods of unmatched construction, which can be seen in (but not limited to) Carpe Diem, M.A+ and now in Layer-0.

We were fortunate to have our production fall in a window, where he was able to focus on fabrication, without the annoyance of an imposed deadline. Free from the burden of such concerns, we see an elevated methodology. Though every article he produces is executed with absolute attention to detail and a pouring of his heart into the pieces; there is something special to be seen when passion is unadulterated by any given unknown in an equation, which converts the process of love into labor. In his quest for efficiency in the process of hand making shoes, this craftsman has been known to sit with a hammer and a mouth full of nails. The danger of swallowing the steel spikes is imminent. It has happened before he says passively whilst producing the next nail from between his lips. It is this type of mad dedication that wins my respect. He goes on to the threading. The hairs of wild boars are bound by hand producing short threads, which are then individually knotted together, one after another until enough to bind the upper to the soles is produced. It is this abysmal affection for his calling that wins my adoration.

 Now in Layer-0, we see a new last and the stalwart hand applied to the rugged designs of Alessio Zero. The last from which the shoes are constructed is reminiscent of the work of Altieri. The leather for the toecap soaked, molded, pleated, trimmed and secured in a procedure of restrained increment: resulting in a rigid toe box without the aid of plastics or metals. A familiar elegance is manifest in Alessio’s expressly robust design sensibility and it is a noteworthy marriage. Alessio has also taken post production treatments to a new level (i.e. heavy application of liquid film along sole and upper baseline, which provides a beautiful effect that frays away with wear). Below is the exemplary selection of footwear we received, boasting the evolved silhouette of Layer-0 footwear including offerings in exclusive leathers. 

•White canvas over leather 1.6 ankle boot. Also available in black canvas over leather•

•Reverse calf 1.6 ankle boot•

•Horween crackled horse 1.6 boot•

•Guidi heavy pig leather 2.0 derby•

•Guidi smooth calf leather band derby. Available in red/brown (shown) and green/grey•

 

InAisce S/S11

The S/S 2011 collection from InAisce had arrived at the door of Sartorialoft well in advance of schedule. We are very happy to receive this highly anticipated collection.

The Orchid Jacket

This piece is a pattern of complex construct with overextended french seams that show like a labyrinthine network of pathways floating around the wearer. The french seams are clean and quite pronounced, capitulating smoothly into a distinct pouch pocket design, that is quirky without feeling like a blustered push to reinvent the banal feature of the utilitarian component. The reverse sees raw edges that highlight the pattern, bringing a rough elegance to the piece. Couple this with details such as the slash pockets on the reverse falling within the seam line and you have a transposed garment that is given an entirely different demeanor. Available in a color that Jona has tagged "charred wood" in a composite of 100% cotton.

Dendrophylax Lindenii

 

The Dendrophylax Lindenii coat is a shining example of Jona's ability to produce exceptionally tailored pieces, but shows us his skill set in a way that is distinctly his own. The coat is very aggressive in its asymmetry, yet remains digestible in its aesthetic with features such as classic double venting. It is named after the Ghost Orchid which is an epiphyte and the coat wears the same way. Working its way around the wearer with unforced effort and binding itself with bark wood closures that are reminiscent of the ligneous root system that anchors the plant to its host form.
What is markedly striking about the article is the fabric that was developed for this piece. The texture is created by a very fine process where the weave is pintucked into itself in a recurrent series of diminutive horizontal lines. When the fabric is pushed into itself, it creates an interesting vertical bark-like texture. The appearance of the vertical ridge reaction created by the wearers form and their movement adds a whole new dimension to the intrinsic ridged effect of the pintucked fabric. This is the kind of textile experimentation, that when successful (as it is here) and applied with such a unique design perspective, work to sustain my optimism for designers seeking to elevate their works with originality and calculated precision. There is hope for the up and coming who possess vision. When in doubt, simply refer to the proof found here in this archive worthy coat.

 

 

 

 

In The Grove

In The Grove is a piece that embodies the direction of the collection as a whole, in a single piece. Hand dyed fabric with a single clasp, dual button closure for standing lapel option.

Stem Trousers/Knickers

 

The stem pants and stem knickers are a fun foray into textural changes. The trousers are aptly named with their slim fit and clear suspension of transition in the tactile variables. The stark demarcation seen in the raw seam work separating these textures is reflective of the resolute vision that clearly defines Jona's work.

 

 

 

 

 Basics with a subversive sensibility

 

 

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A Brief Overview

 
Since the inception of Label Under Construction, Luca Laurini has long since been refining his highly experimental techniques through rigorous exertion of trial and error. He has re-written the book on fabrication methodologies, which he founded upon the firm foundation of classic old-world principles. Though he keeps his eyes forward with un-stifled momentum propelling him, he consistently pays homage to the works preceding him. The works that helped shape his ideals and provides an understanding of his direction.

Now, with a mastery of the technical aspects of experimental knitting and fabrication, Luca leaps head first into the conceptual arena. Signals is the project that highlights his ability in this facet. As the name implies, he decides to utilize a form of language to impart his message in the articles themselves. He opted to use morse code which has an intrinsic minimalist beauty in its aesthetic value. Primitive yet sophisticated. A language that is simple without compromising the efficacy in its ability to convey a message clearly. One might argue that morse code is a somewhat obvious choice and to this I would be quick to agree. However it is not the incorporation of this system that makes it noteworthy, but what he builds upon it.

Morse code is a series of dashes and dots. Luca has used this crude system of communication to form a communion between the physical and the cerebral. A communion that is heavily evident in every facet throughout the garments and their designs; from the selection of fabric and yarns to the selection of poems, aphorisms. And true to form, he takes this venture for a dip in mathematical analysis. The capsule can be viewed from several viewpoints. Luca mentions the representation of the monochromatic scale as a field in which to set a familiar backdrop for the overlying message. My thoughts are drawn to the old movies where black and white was used so the viewer could easily discern the good guys from the bad. It is from this point that we see the appearance of decay and the induction of corrosion.

Corroded Graphite Dyed Double Layer Shirt

Here Luca plays with an open-ended notion of duality, obviously leaving much open to interpretation. The corrosion shirt features the letters used to spell corrosion in morse code. It is stripped with the application of chemicals that burn organic fibers leaving any synthetic materials unscathed. 

 

The base knit is a dry black with a second layer on the front panel which has been graphite dyed and etched with the acid. The eroded graphic sets atop the inner layer like a scar upon stained innocence. 

The first piece he shows to set the tone for the Signals presentation is the SOS arched shirt. 

 

As we all know, this universally recognized message is often relayed repeatedly as a cry for help in times of distress. The knit features the SOS signal repetitiously knit through the body. 

It is a very literal reference to the dark side of existence; the feeling of helplessness that is key in defining the human experience. 

 

The jacket: easily my favorite offering from this capsule collection. Here is a garment with spirit. Here he touches the other spectrum of life; the light of rebirth and the beauty of renewal. 

One can’t help but escape the idea that quoting Neitchze on an article of clothing is nothing short of self indulgent. This is one instance where the article wears the aphorism like a tattoo (etched into the fabric of the interior lining), expressing the reason for its existence. The central theme of this piece is “Everything goes, everything returns”. 

The pattern is based on an old World War jacket, and has been beautifully refined.
It features a deep pocket that runs the width of the back and was used by soldiers to keep rations. The closure system is of hand-crotched eye loop and the Signals Morse Button. 

It is large enough to keep a laptop (though not advised to do so) and the fabric is of salvaged military supplies, which possesses a beautiful, slubby finish while maintaining a very polished look. 

 

 

Also, received in our representation is the Talking Selvedge Trouser. 

The pattern is the original j-pant done in the japanese paper cotton material, with a representation of the selvedge code running the length of the twisting seam. 

The graphite dyed poem sweater.

 

An updated raglan style knit (reverse shown) which has been graphite dyed and features the text running the right half of the body, wrapping back to front. 

And the Alpha-Numeric Double Blanket/Poncho with morse code diagrams of alpha and numeric keys, respectively mapped out on each set piece. 

The two separate pieces are bound lengthwise by oversize buttons.

 

...approach this collection with an open mind seasoned with interest and peppered with a bit of romanticism. You'll find an endearing collection of garments..