Josh Goot, Woot

I love discovering the processes that a designer uses to create something fantastic, as marvelously quirky and brilliant as they can be. For instance, Australian designer Josh Goot created the fabric designs for his SS09 collection by sloshing watercolors directly on a flatbed scanner, and then digitally manipulating them. The result are vibrant, sleek liquid forms that seem to slip and slide across the wearer.



I love this collection because of its cleanness. The watercolor effect is surprisingly crisp and clean for being a color swirl, and the unprinted pieces have a sharpness and simplicity of form that is utterly refreshing and makes me long for the light, unencumbered clothing of spring. Also, the idea of bringing back something as modest and antiquated as a yoke in brilliant, popping colors has me itching to start chopping up garish t-shirts to mimic the effect. Such a wonderful little surprise...



If there is one thing I do not like in this collection, it is the jackets. Goot chose to add these drably formed jackets over several of the pieces, ending in awkward sleeves that are unsure whether they live below the shoulder or above the elbow. They remind me of those half sleeve cardigans old women wear to hide their unsightly arm flub. I found these unshapely additions entirely too excessive against the clean look of the collection, and found their overall effect was to make many of the wearers look matronly more than anything else.





However, even with that small misstep, Goot redeems himself to me with the brilliance of the successful pieces. This is a designer who is simply only getting better, and I continue to look forward to where his designs are heading - I like the direction very, very much. Also, getting a hold of those fabulous, fabulous shoes has become a new mission in my life.