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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 310 Front Zip Boot Black, side view, at WDLT117 on within
Guidi
310 Front Zip Boot Black
NZ$2,469Last one
WDLT117
Rick Owens Tower Jumbolaced Sneakers Black/Milk at Utopia on within
Rick Owens
Tower Jumbolaced Sneakers Black/Milk
NZ$2,289
Utopia
Grounds × Undercover Sneaker Black, side view, at WDLT117 on within
Undercover
Grounds × Undercover Sneaker Black
NZ$1,293
WDLT117
Guidi 9082 Laced Up Derby Black, side view, at WDLT117 on within
Guidi
9082 Laced Up Derby Black
NZ$2,176Last one
WDLT117
Rick Owens Edfu Bauhaus Cargo Pants Black, front view, at Utopia on within
Rick Owens
Edfu Bauhaus Cargo Pants Black
NZ$1,271Pre-owned
Utopia
MM6 Maison Margiela Straight-leg 5 Pocket Jean Black, front view, at WDLT117 on within
MM6 Maison Margiela
Straight-leg 5 Pocket Jean Black
NZ$649NZ$1,163Last one
WDLT117
Avavav Petra Suitpants Sharpei Black at WDLT117 on within
Avavav
Petra Suitpants Sharpei Black
NZ$858
WDLT117
Y/Project Multi Waistband Jeans Beige at WDLT117 on within
Y/Project
Multi Waistband Jeans Beige
NZ$454NZ$994Last one
WDLT117
Undercover Graphic Print Pullover Black, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Undercover
Graphic Print Pullover Black
NZ$389NZ$689
WDLT117
Yohji Yamamoto Pour Homme Paris Logo L/S T-Shirt Black, front view, at Utopia on within
Yohji Yamamoto
Pour Homme Paris Logo L/S T-Shirt Black
NZ$127Pre-owned
Utopia
Song for the Mute SFTM x Birkenstock "The Rebel" Distressed Tee Black, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Song for the Mute
SFTM x Birkenstock "The Rebel" Distressed Tee Black
NZ$384
WDLT117
Rick Owens DRKSHDW Gimp Full-Zip Hoodie Milk, front view, at Utopia on within
Rick Owens
DRKSHDW Gimp Full-Zip Hoodie Milk
NZ$954Pre-owned
Utopia
MM6 Maison Margiela Tweed Blazer Black at WDLT117 on within
MM6 Maison Margiela
Tweed Blazer Black
NZ$2,982Last one
WDLT117
Sulvam Dolman Zip-up Jacket Bio in Blue at WDLT117 on within
Sulvam
Dolman Zip-up Jacket Bio
NZ$908NZ$2,144Last one
WDLT117
Song for the Mute Daisy Oversized Coat W Brown at WDLT117 on within
Song for the Mute
Daisy Oversized Coat W Brown
NZ$2,144
WDLT117
Sulvam Slim Short Blouson Jacket Navy at WDLT117 on within
Sulvam
Slim Short Blouson Jacket Navy
NZ$597NZ$1,494
WDLT117
Rick Owens Cargobelas Cargo Pants Black, front view, at Utopia on within
Rick Owens
Cargobelas Cargo Pants Black
NZ$1,017Pre-owned
Utopia
Maison Margiela Painter Jeans Grey, front view, at Utopia on within
Maison Margiela
Painter Jeans Grey
NZ$636
Utopia
Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY Late To Work Jacket Beige at WDLT117 on within
Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY
Late To Work Jacket Beige
NZ$2,105Last one
WDLT117
Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY Smart Cropped Vest Brown, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY
Smart Cropped Vest Brown
NZ$1,163Last one
WDLT117
Maison Margiela Replica Light Blue at Utopia on within
Maison Margiela
Replica Light Blue
NZ$890
Utopia
Song for the Mute SFTM x ADIDAS 007 Tokyo W Off White at WDLT117 on within
Song for the Mute
SFTM x ADIDAS 007 Tokyo W Off White
NZ$260
WDLT117
MM6 Maison Margiela 2-in-1 Knit Cardigan Dark Grey, front view, at WDLT117 on within
MM6 Maison Margiela
2-in-1 Knit Cardigan Dark Grey
NZ$1,748Last one
WDLT117
Avavav Tim OS Shoulderless Hoodie With Lined Cut-out Application Beige at WDLT117 on within
Avavav
Tim OS Shoulderless Hoodie With Lined Cut-out Application Beige
NZ$975
WDLT117

Looks in this edit

The pieces of A draped olive jacket and a rosette skirt on the plinthA draped olive jacket and a rosette skirt on the plinthThe pieces of A silver parachute jacket on a concrete stairA silver parachute jacket on a concrete stairAfter dark, before midnight. Flat lay of a black Masnada jacket, black trousers, a black Issey Miyake turtleneck and black Guidi derbies.After dark, before midnightA hotel bar, late. Flat lay of a beige MM6 jacket, a chocolate UJOH shirt, beige trousers, black Guidi boots and a Tom Wood ring.A hotel bar, lateOpera night. Flat lay of a black Coperni gown, a black Undercover jacket, black Guidi boots and a silver Tom Wood bag.Opera nightA late supper in black. Flat lay of a black Undercover blazer, a black Rick Owens T-shirt, black cargo pants and black Guidi loafers.A late supper in black

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.