Arbiter Elegantiarum

Titled Arbiter Elegantiarum, this collection literally translates to, “a judge of elegance, or matters of taste.” Inspired by Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Corrie Nielsen dips into a dark mood for SS12. The collection plays on duplicity and abstract concepts of influence, fusing a Victorian aesthetic with a contemporary Japanese touch. While some cuts maintain a traditional East-Asian tone, others are more masculine, embracing the tailored menswear of the late 19th century. Each piece elegantly blends cultures and time periods, combining the old and the new with grand folded structures and meticulous pleats. These architectural shapes are created in a restrained colour palette, with fragments of chartreuse throughout, adding refinement and elegance.