Around 90 minutes after the announced Prototypes spring 2025 show time, a figure stomping toward the door wasn’t a guest tired of waiting for the arrival of Ye and Bianca Censori.
The controversial rapper, wearing an outfit suitable for beekeeping, and his wife, sporting a cream leotard and Cheetos-orange hair, were already duly seated in the front row.
That angry walker was the first look offered by design duo Laura Beham and Callum Pidgeon, the Vetements alums who are behind the eyebrow-raising outfits that Ye and Censori have been recently sporting.
The stated inspiration for Prototypes’ spring lineup was the world of Ultras, the über-soccer fans who often make headlines for violent behavior in and out of stadiums.
Team flags, soccer jerseys and sportswear duly appeared in the lineup, pulled over the face, but they had been upcycled to near-oblivion by the design duo.
Among the more interesting examples marched out were cleverly cut blousons and jackets, pockets placed high, ideal for the strong-shouldered posture popular with edgy fashion labels.
Bottoms felt like an afterthought, particulary with the number of looks that came with sheer tights with opaque gussets hiding the bare minimum.
For those who want to emulate Censori’s looks — and there were a few in the audience — this gave a sporty read that felt in step with the pre-Olympics buzz.
But as Beham and Pidgeon plot their studio’s move to Paris, this one-note lineup failed to add the pair’s voice to the ongoing conversation on upcycling.