From Robert Geller: On September 11 Robert Geller presented his Spring Summer 2011 collection at Exit Art in New York City. Robert Geller’s Spring/Summer 2011 collection was inspired by the youth of the 1960s and 70s – an era in which young people around the world were awakened to the power they possessed to enact change. Of particular interest was the Berlin student movement that challenged the authoritarianism of the German government. The movement marked the end of a century of student conservatism and encouraged a new attitude of liberalism among university politics. The developments in Germany reflected a global trend that saw young people everywhere uniting for a cause. The movement arose largely as a response to the era’s proliferation of household televisions which allowed for the rapid spread of international news.
The clothes speak to the contrast of emotions that marked the era of protests in the name of peace. Sharply cut blazers, leather jackets and jumpsuits add an aggressive element while loosely cut shorts and silky fabrics help soften the collection’s tone. Color plays an important role in defining the Spring/Summer vision. Army greens and deep desert khakis are prominently featured as a nod to the militaristic response that often greeted peaceful protests. Various shades of reds, a color that Robert is introducing into his collection for the first time, also speak to the passion and courage that marked the era’s youth movement.
