E.A. 1/1 S.V. SS18 Lookbook
An article from 2018 from a now-defunct fashion blog edited by William Abney
Rust Bloom, the SS18 collection from Zagreb-based label E.A.1/1 S.V. combines minimal white poplins and linens, surface prints derived from rust, and references to The Tempest, a play by William Shakespeare. The rust motifs are created by rusting coins on the surface of the garment, using the process of oxidation to adorn the fabric. Iron oxide, the chemical compound that gives rust its color, has been used for centuries as a pigment by textile producers and artists alike. The result here is an organic, decayed aesthetic which brings to mind coins and metal artifacts found in shipwrecks (central to the plot of The Tempest), as well as the aging urban and industrial architecture of Croatia in the post-Yugoslavian period. The cuts are an intelligent hybrid of crisp streetwear and subtle references to the 15th-16th century silhouettes that have been trending recently. The collection also features a screen printing technique employing rust particles to create potato flower motifs. The potato, originating in South America, was introduced to Europe in the late 1500s, contemporaneous with the writing of The Tempest. These idiosyncratic references are expertly distilled into a wearable, yet avant-garde SS18 collection.
The combination of the contemporary Bomber Jacket and Square Chain shorts, reminiscent of Tudor architectural details, create a multilayered sartorial juxtaposition. The color palette has a stark, vaguely uncanny feel somewhere between workwear and institutional uniform. The E.A. 1/1 S.V. is editorial, but still seems more than ready to wear.
The cotton poplin Tempest coat features embroidery with the names of the principle characters from The Tempest, making the reference quite literal. The white on white embroidery makes the statement subtle, a departure from the graphic text trend ubiquitous in current men’s fashion. The deconstructed details of this outerwear piece, from its raw hems to its artfully wrinkled, partially dyed surface, and rusted coin buttons, makes it look like it could have been pulled from a shipwreck itself. This could almost serve as a costume for a contemporary staging of the play which it is inspired by.
The Sir Rowland Cotton 1618 Doublet furthers the institutional vibe with lace-up details reminiscent of a strait jacket. This is again a highly editorial look that wouldn’t be out of place at a club or art gallery opening in any major European city. The SS18 collection is at once the wardrobe of a mad scientist and apocryphal historical figure.
Helmed by designer Silvio Vujičić, who is also an artist working in a variety of mediums, E.A. 1/1 S.V. is an intriguingly intellectual brand. Vujičić is a polymath, well-versed in subjects from textiles to chemistry, botany, history, and material science. His visual art exhibitions have an experimental quality that give them the essence of a science experiment performed in an aesthetically pleasing laboratory. This collection translates this unique quality from art into fashion. As Croatian art and design establishes itself on the global stage, it’s safe to say Vujičić will be one of the creatives leading the charge.
