An edit

Avant garde

Rick Owens, Margiela, Guidi, Undercover. Black, draped, cut differently.

Avant garde fashion uses architectural cuts and raw textures to build silhouettes that challenge traditional proportions. Heavy wool, washed linen, and distressed leather ground sculptural shapes in shades of black, grey, and cream. Its modern form began in Paris in the early eighties, when Yohji Yamamoto showed loose, mostly black clothes with raw edges.

Rick Owens is known for long draped shapes and dropped crotch trousers, while Guidi tans its own horse leather in Tuscany for soft boots. Undercover stitches graphics and street details into raw deconstructed jackets. Layered tops, relaxed trousers, and heavy outerwear balance these sculpted boots for daily wear.

WDLT117 in Toronto carries most of the wall, from Song for the Mute and UJOH tailoring to Guidi boots. Utopia in Toronto adds Rick Owens sneakers and trousers, some pre owned. Due West in Toronto adds Masnada's tailoring, made in Italy.

Guidi 796ZI Back Zip Metal Heel Mid Boot Black, side view, at WDLT117 on within

796ZI Back Zip Metal Heel Mid Boot Black

HK$11,752Last one

MM6 Maison Margiela Anatomic Ankle Boots Black, side view, at WDLT117 on within

MM6 Maison Margiela

Anatomic Ankle Boots Black

Guidi R22V Back Zip Boot Full Grain Black, side view, at WDLT117 on within

R22V Back Zip Boot Full Grain Black

HK$11,752Last one

Coperni Bridge Boot Brown, side view, at WDLT117 on within

Bridge Boot Brown

HK$4,581~~HK$7,739~~

Undercover Wool Languid Jacket Black at WDLT117 on within

Wool Languid Jacket Black

HK$15,478Last one

Ottolinger Liberated Double Jacket Green, front view, at WDLT117 on within

Liberated Double Jacket Green

HK$8,141Last one

Litkovska Wool-Blend Tailored Vest Black, front view, at WDLT117 on within

Wool-Blend Tailored Vest Black

HK$6,306Last one

Song for the Mute Deconstructed Bomber Army Green at WDLT117 on within

Song for the Mute

Deconstructed Bomber Army Green

HK$7,424Last one

Litkovska Ruffled Midi Skirt Black at WDLT117 on within

Ruffled Midi Skirt Black

HK$6,708Last one

Undercover Asymmetric Skirt Black at WDLT117 on within

Asymmetric Skirt Black

HK$4,157Last one

UJOH Work Flare Skirt Black at WDLT117 on within

Work Flare Skirt Black

HK$5,446Last one

Rick Owens Edfu Bauhaus Cargo Pants Black, front view, at Utopia on within

Edfu Bauhaus Cargo Pants Black

HK$5,621Pre-owned

MM6 Maison Margiela Folded Wool Dress Dk. Grey, front view, at WDLT117 on within

MM6 Maison Margiela

Folded Wool Dress Dk. Grey

Coperni All-in-one Smock Dress Black at WDLT117 on within

All-in-one Smock Dress Black

HK$12,039Last one

Avavav Disa Draped Dress Black worn by a model, at WDLT117 on within

Disa Draped Dress Black

HK$3,434~~HK$6,163~~

UJOH Shoulder Belt Gathered Dress Olive at WDLT117 on within

Shoulder Belt Gathered Dress Olive

HK$2,861~~HK$5,704~~

Rick Owens Tower Jumbolaced Sneakers Black/Milk at Utopia on within

Tower Jumbolaced Sneakers Black/Milk

Grounds × Undercover Sneaker Black, side view, at WDLT117 on within

Grounds × Undercover Sneaker Black

MM6 Maison Margiela Straight-leg 5 Pocket Jean Black, front view, at WDLT117 on within

MM6 Maison Margiela

Straight-leg 5 Pocket Jean Black

HK$2,861~~HK$5,131~~Last one

Avavav Petra Suitpants Sharpei Black at WDLT117 on within

Petra Suitpants Sharpei Black

MM6 Maison Margiela Tweed Blazer Black at WDLT117 on within

MM6 Maison Margiela

Tweed Blazer Black

HK$13,157Last one

Sulvam Dolman Zip-up Jacket Bio in Blue at WDLT117 on within

Dolman Zip-up Jacket Bio

HK$4,008~~HK$9,459~~Last one

More in the same spirit

Coperni Belted Suede Mini Dress Brown, front view, at WDLT117 on within

Belted Suede Mini Dress Brown

HK$9,029Last one

UJOH Sailor Collar Dress Sand at WDLT117 on within

Sailor Collar Dress Sand

Looks in this edit

The pieces of A draped olive jacket and a rosette skirt on the plinth

A draped olive jacket and a rosette skirt on the plinth

Opera night. Flat lay of a black Coperni gown, a black Undercover jacket, black Guidi boots and a silver Tom Wood bag.

Rain in Knightsbridge. Flat lay of a beige MM6 coat, a black Marine Serre top, a black Undercover skirt and grey Guidi boots.

Rain in Knightsbridge

A business trip to Milan. Flat lay of a black Coperni jacket, a silver UJOH shirt, sand trousers and black Guidi derbies.

A business trip to Milan

All black for a winter night. Flat lay of a black Undercover jacket, black trousers, a black UJOH blouse, black Guidi boots and a black bag.

All black for a winter night

Chocolate pinstripe for December. Flat lay of a chocolate brown Ottolinger blazer, a chocolate skirt, dark brown Guidi boots and a brown RUOHAN bag.

Chocolate pinstripe for December

Common questions

What defines avant garde clothing?

Avant garde clothing rejects standard tailoring rules through asymmetrical hems, oversized cuts, and raw seam finishes. On this wall that means cotton, wool and leather in black, grey and cream.

How do you wear avant garde pieces every day?

Pair one sculptural piece with simple foundation clothes like straight denim or a clean cotton knit. Grounding an exaggerated coat with flat leather boots keeps the silhouette balanced and wearable.

Which designers lead avant garde fashion?

Rick Owens crafts elongated leather jackets and dropped crotch trousers in dark tones. Undercover merges punk references with structured outerwear, while Guidi dyes its horse leather boots after they are made, so each pair takes its colour evenly.