When Georgian-born designer David Koma has a creative block, he returns to Madonna’s altar for a pick me up.
“I look a lot at the powerful female performers I listen to,” he said in his design studio in Shoreditch, citing Spanish singer Rosalía’s album as inspiration for his Pre-Fall 2022 collection. racing and motorsport.
For the man who dresses some of the most prominent red carpet stars — including Jennifer Lopez, Olivia Rodrigo and Gal Gadot — the party has already begun internally. The brand has “managed to grow steadily” during the pandemic and it’s now reveling in the moment by doing what it does best: dressing for the occasion.
This season, he is interested in duality: knitwear versus evening wear; dark against light, and volcanic islands and snow-capped mountain ranges for the backdrop of her 2023 lookbook.
The fabrics appear as a trompe l’oeil, the hard lace corset dress is actually delicately soft to wrinkle; hand-transferred floral prints onto rubber deconstructed organza as a base for a bare second skin; layered knit in pink cashmere and mohair.
Koma has tried her hand at lingerie to discover a soft sensuality opposed to the opposite sensuality that is now part of her brand’s DNA.
“I’ve had the lingerie look on my mood board for a while,” he said, referring to stretch lace bodysuits and dresses; long mesh opera gloves and draped ruffles that bounce freely.
“I always say, I think no matter what, luxury is like chocolate, it will always be in fashion,” he said.
Koma’s demi-couture dresses are his daily bread, but for a second season he’s set his sights on footwear behind the success of crystallized garter thigh-high boots.
The new sub-category of his brand was developed 10 years ago, with all shoes now made in Italy.
The new range reaches the pelvic levels in chromatic tones, leather brown and lizard green.
There’s no holding back on the power of sex for Koma – not even in the one conservative look that’s modestly concealed, but carries her trademark sultry attitude.
