A capsule collection in its purest formation, vulnerable and exposed with nothing to hide behind… Just raw, wide open, and elemental. Simon Ekrelius‘ Women’s RTW SS14 collection bores the phrase, “The Other Half”, which was inspired by Robert Rauschenberg’s “White Paintings” and an art deco poster of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. In Rauschenberg’s “White Paintings”, they are void of any fuss, just a simple sense of being what they are. Nothing more, nothing less. Fritz Lang’s Metropolis exhibits strong structure as its statement and main component. In Ekrelius’ collection, “The Other Half,” color has been removed from the assortment of pieces, relying only on texture, pattern, and shape to step forward and let us know that they are the true factors in the design process; color is just the accent… the trimmings of a beautiful entrée, the popularized, but somewhat unnecessary enhancement. The finalization of this collection illustrates that the focus of each piece is its natural state and construction- the billowy silhouettes featured in the cocktail dresses, skirts, and sleeves of the outerwear, the asymmetric patterning, and notably the variety of dissimilar textures (pvc, organza, etc.). Without distraction of color and hue, the collection represents its title well. You can actually visualize the ‘other half’ of the garment, in its most naked, organic form. In each piece we are given an elegant reminder that in this crazy, overly embellished world, sometimes we just need to take a breath and get back to the bare basics.