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(p)review
Boris Bidjan Saberi
by A.M.

Until fairly recently, the garments of Boris Bidjan Saberi, a 29 year old designer of German and Iranian descent, have barely been viewable in photos of the collections. He started his mens wear line in 2006, showed a s/s 08 collection in Spain, but it wasn't until the current fall collection that his line has started to make its way into stores. Now don't jump up quite yet, he currently has only a handful of retailers in Europe. One upcoming one is Darklands in Berlin, the sister store of Vancouver based Komakino which will open its doors this fall. Out of the other 3-4 stores, L'eclaireur in Paris has most likely been the first one to receive any garments in.

The f/w 08 collection follows in the footsteps of the earlier ones, portraying a dark and edgy style with gothic influences. The notable difference, however, is the use of some colours in addition to black, which was extremely dominant in the spring collection. Well, if you can call them colours, as they are rather various shades of grey with blueish hues, but it certainly adds a dimension to the whole look. In addition the collection has a slightly more urban and technical look to it due to interesting tones and materials, and also portrays some influences from Saberi's roots in street wear.

Materials appear to be a key in Saberi's garments, the ones used in this collection include heavy knits, bamboo, and waxed cotton and linen, which look excellent on many of the pieces. Another aspect most certainly are the details, including extensive use of straps; a signature of his. The straps have various purposes, in all of the garments they act as the tag or label, and in most they are extended through the garment to the outside - a small but notable detail. In several pieces such as jackets and cardigans the straps can be used to adjust the garment; to lift the hem higher, or tighten it in the waist and body. This creates a very functional aspect and a technical feel to some of the clothing.

Pieces of clothing so far have included a pair of waxed cotton jeans in a curved leg cut, providing an interesting, bunched up silhouette. Two outerwear pieces include a long waxed trench-like coat and a short, waxed cotton and linen jacket with multiple straps both in the front and back of jacket, topped with a gigantic hood (also available in leather). The big hoods are carried over to knit wear, where they can be seen on a thick knit cardigan made in teal-grey and black. A lighter weight long-fitting hoody is made of 100% bamboo making it incredibly soft, a very versatile piece. Other tops include a layered longleeve knit where one layer is black and the other again teal, the layers can be worn separately or together. A simple teal coloured, lightweight and sheer t-shirt bears resemblance to those of Rick Owens, with some details added in the form of seams.

Overall the garments seem highly wearable but still hold on to that gloomy and intense style Saberi is known for. The quality and finish on the products seems excellent and the innovative details truly make the pieces. The only thing one could hope for is slightly better availability of his line, an aspect that will certainly see light in the near future. Retailers will most likely remain carefully picked, just like the current ones, meaning availability is limited to those more exclusive stores worldwide. Boris Bidjan Saberi has gotten our attention and is holding strongly on to it with a good looking s/s 09 collection shown recently. I for one am looking eagerly forward to seeing more from him in the future.