Four months ago, Natasha Zinko went to the moon, and back — and then did it all over again for resort. Outer space is not only a wellspring of inspiration for the London-based Ukrainian designer, it’s also become something of a refuge.
“I see it as a safe place to live. With all the wars going on Earth, it’s a place of hope,” she said.
For the fall 2024 collection, which she showed last February Zinko was inspired by Space Age dressing and the science fiction fantasies of Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, the men behind the 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Zinko dressed an imaginary team of off-duty astronauts and space station crew in a chic wardrobe of sheer white long johns, black catsuits and flat-soled, knee-high boots.
For resort, inspiration came mainly from astronauts’ suits, with Zinko working those giant sleeves and oversize, rounded proportions into long or short padded denim jackets and cotton coats with checks. She also took the straps and buckles from space suits and added them to slim or body-con midi dresses and trenches.
Jeans drew their proportions from the bulky suits. They were XXL and done in faded, yellowed or black denim. While the legs were wide, the waists were narrow thanks to Zinko’s clever pleating and cutting techniques.
Underwear played a big role, although this time there were fewer long johns and more conventional briefs — and cotton bra tops — all with the Natasha Zinko Originals logo on the elastic waist.
Worn under Zinko’s giant jeans or strappy dresses, those undies will make anyone look like an original, whether they’re headed to outer space, or someplace closer to home.
