February 17th at 1:30 pm MR. SATURDAY debuted its Autumn Winter 2021 collection at New York Fashion Week. MR. SATURDAY is a brand about storytelling, founded by 27-year-old Toronto based designer Joey Gollish, a member of the creative agency HXOUSE. 

This year Joey and the team at MR. SATURDAY had to take their storytelling to the next level, bringing the ideas of the collection and the platform of a runway all together into one medium, a virtual fashion show, or how I see it as a sneak peek trailer into this year’s A/W collection.

MR. SATURDAY’s collection was inspired by cultural progression and the similarities of different generations, Both Directions at Once. An interesting take for the young designer as his work reflected much of clean lines with flares of utilitarian and classic elegance. Many of his pieces reflect those of different generations and how his unstructured tailored pieces met with nostalgic silhouettes.

Much of his menswear pieces were unstructured/ oversized looks, based on fabrics from vintage WWII pieces, that represent the nostalgic feeling from that generation and connecting it with this 2021 generation. The fabrics he has chosen to make a statement of his storytelling, oversized knitwear from cardigans to turtle necks, and onto leather trousers, bringing in the mix and match of what each of these fabrics represented at one point or another. 

For his womenswear collection, it brings in a more socialite scene with a classic silhouette and clean lines to enhance the silk dresses. They also bring in bigger jackets and knitwear that show off the elegance and high-class lifestyle. Again, the fabrics MR. SATURDAY has chosen to showcase his womenswear allowing for the story to be told in a specific dimension. Showing womenswear with silks and knits brings in the generation where beauty was all in what you wore, and what you wore made you feel beautiful. 

This collection of Both Directions at Once, showcases the similarities of what fashion used to be, and what fashion has become. Streetwear and formal wear have now combined to tell the story of generations of fashion, showcasing the ideas that different generations may stand for different purposes but in the end, what you fight for is good as long as you fight for something. One generation fought for their country in the war, the other fought and protested for basic human rights, Both Directions at Once, allows for these generations of fashion to come together, and express what they feel through the clothes they wear.

HOLR had the pleasure of chatting with Joey about the latest collection and his virtual show at NYFW 

Tell us about your latest collection and some of your favourite pieces.

My FW21 ‘Both Directions at Once’ is inspired by the novel ‘Vile Bodies’ and the real-life characters that inspired it, the Bright Young Things of 1920’s London. There are a lot of obvious parallels between our generation and theirs, but what stood out most to me was that I could see us in this group of people who had lost faith in their socio-political system. Truthfully, the decadent and outrageous parties they threw are also something I fantasize about while being stuck at home. 

I love the pieces that are made from WWII trench coats, especially the ‘Good Luck’ bomber. We pull them apart and then hand patchwork them together to make new garments. 

Tell us about your NYFW virtual show.

The collection is called ‘Both Directions at Once’ because I’m considering the past generation but also the next one. So if the inspiration is 100 years old, the presentation is 100 years ahead. Think of the characters as the Bright Young Things 100 years from now at a dinner party. Siphe, our main character and member of the Canadian National Ballet, is a new inductee and goes from outsider to insider as the night progresses. The viewer takes his perspective.

How have your collections evolved over the years?

This season, I moved away from heavy graphic and patch applications and told the story more through silhouette and texture. This collection is more gender fluid than my previous work and also includes a larger introduction into traditional womenswear with dresses and handbags. I also introduced footwear with Sanders UK, full range outerwear, and jewellery that will carry over between seasons.

What inspiration do you draw on to craft your designs and bring your visions to life?

I always draw on the history of the theme I’m working on to create the shapes and fabrics that make up the collection. You’ll see oversized jackets and hats in the lookbook that are meant to create that drama of 1920’s dress. This also comes back to my favourite pieces mentioned earlier. Using actual fabric from WWII and making it into something more modern like a bomber or a cargo pant allows me to move the story through time.

Where does the brand go from here?

I’m always continuing to build the Mr. Saturday world. We’ll be releasing some new footwear shortly and in the next few months, we’ll be dropping some home goods, like a candle. Beyond that, we’re working closely with our retail partners around the world to build in-store experiences as they start to open back up, which I’m really excited about.