Inspired by a trip to San Francisco after being away from the Californian city for 12 years, for her Spring/Summer 2014 collection for Brazilian clothing brand Triton, fashion designer Karen Fuke delved into how the Flower Power of the late 1960s was reinterpreted by the subcultures of the 1990s and their visual experiences under the influence of drugs such as ecstasy and acid in the underground atmosphere of raves and house parties. In order to evoke this youthfull spirit, Fuke’s vast range of men’s and womenswear (recently shown during the latest São Paulo Fashion Week) resorted to light fabrics such as silk, tweed, organza and mousseline in bright colours, embroideries, neons and metallics, as well as tie-dye prints in garments where casual tailoring played a paramount role.
Owing to the fact that Triton belongs to AMC, the Brazilian conglomerate that owns labels such as Colcci, Coca-Cola Clothing Line, Forum and Tufi Duek and produces nearly 3 million garments per year that are sold in thousands of stores across Latin-America, Fuke must, without a doubt, feel the pressure when it comes to producing each new collection. Nevertheless, her Spring/Summer 2014 collection confirmed that she is more than able to tread the very delicate line between bold creativity and conformist profitability.