Up-and-Coming Chicago Designers: Simon Goldman
A year or so ago, I was scrolling aimlessly through my Instagram explore page when I happened upon an image of a particularly intriguing garment. I clicked on the account to which the image belonged and noticed it was juxtaposed with a number of other images of intriguing garments.
The account, @simon__gold, belongs to an up-and-coming Chicago-born (but now NYC-based) designer by the name of Simon Goldman. Goldman, who attended Francis W. Parker High School in Lincoln Park, now studies at the Pratt Institute in New York. He began designing and constructing garments out of a studio in Chicago when he was in high school, during which time he also had pieces on display at the Art Institute.
It is apparent that a few themes are relatively consistent throughout Goldman’s pieces. He tends to work with more opaque colored textiles, a tactic I find rather unique amongst Gen-Z designers. I’ve noticed a trend of young designers utilizing bright colored fabrics, intense patterns, and other overtly eye-catching elements to garner interest and attention. But Goldman’s darker colorways are part of his more subtle approach to intelligent Gen-Z design.
A second theme pervasive in his work is the repurposing of older garments and materials. There are obvious environmental pros to this choice, but sustainability benefits aside, the juxtaposition of repurposed fabrics with other repurposed (or non-repurposed) fabrics modifies the utility value and narrative of these original garments and recontextualizes them within another garment that tells a whole new story.
A final theme worth mentioning is his heavy emphasis on experimental cuts and use of shape as the attention-grabbing element of his pieces. In a quick glance at his design page, @studio.goldman, I notice intentionally exaggerated cuffs, boxy pockets on shirts and jackets, and uneven symmetries created by accessorizing elements. Such experimentation, in my opinion, is highly effective. These pieces feel in a way minimalist given the darker colors and mostly solid patterns, but also very much the opposite due to the addition of these eye-catching shapes in unconventional placements.
Below, I highlight two pieces from his latest collection, “SAILING ON.”
Trench Coat
Image courtesy of @simon__gold on Instagram
This oversized, army green trench coat is layered under a red, blue, yellow, and army green multi-col0red netting. A mere glance leaves the viewer unclear as to where exactly this netting originates, but likely suspects are a trampoline, fishing net, or set of bungee cords -- any of which would be fascinating. The red, yellow, and army-green elements of the netting take on a lattice, patchwork shape akin to that of a metal fence; the intense indigo portions dangle vertically in a box braid pattern. The stark contrast between the bright colors of the netting and the opaque color of the trench alongside the contrast in patterns within the netting itself gives this piece an unconventional, thought-provoking flare.
Grey Pants
Image courtesy of @simon__gold on Instagram
This pair of pants features a darker-grey (presumably cotton) textile overlaid with thin white lines as its primary element. While the primary orientation of these lines is vertical, the top, middle, and bottom sections of the pants each display the fabric oriented such that its white lines are horizontal. The largest section of horizontally-lined fabric lies just above the knee. This large section is cut in the shape of a band with both a width that lengthens towards the center of the leg and a thick black horizontal trim at the top and bottom of the band. The cuffs of the pants feature a similar section of horizontally-lined fabric, but instead, this section only has a black trim on the top and does not cover the entire leg. At the top, the horizontally-lined waistband resembles that of a pair of cargo or ski pants with a wide belt loop over the left and right hips. I certainly would not object if someone asked me to wear these pants -- granted, I really rock with cool pants.
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I was really excited to discover Simon Goldman and his work, partially because of Chicago’s sometimes lacking fashion reputation compared to cities like New York and Los Angeles. Definitely give him a follow -- you won’t regret it.
Feature image via @simon__gold on Instagram
