Elevating Crudeness: Edward Cuming’s Considered Designs

Edward Cuming, the leggy blond Australian designer based in Madrid, is on a mission to elevate the crudeness in his finishing and create pieces that feel truly considered. During a recent showroom walkthrough in Paris, he showcased his signature style of charmingly disheveled viscose pieces featuring swirled, Klimt-esque manipulations of torn linings. This time, the pieces were in shades of rusty red with sky blue spirals peeking through.

Cuming’s inspiration comes from a desire to create garments that feel touched and have a quality of human interaction. Hems are intentionally left raggedy to invite further wear and tear, reflecting his obsession with modifying and evolving pieces over time. He believes that the evolution of clothing only deepens his love for them, making it harder to part with them.

While tactile textile work is a focus, Cuming’s designs are ultimately about humor and levity found in real life. This season, his paneled, bias-cut draped dresses with torn-off sleeves gathered at the hip were inspired by a stranger he observed holding her dress just-so. This detail translated into a sequined black dress, the brand’s first evening gown.

One standout piece is a black trench coat with hems cut and sealed to fray with wear in a controlled manner. Despite being known for light and airy designs, Cuming enjoys creating big coats, even if they are not the main focus of the brand. The playfulness and creativity in designing these pieces bring joy to the studio.

Unexpected yet delightful are the upholstery-like jacquards and textured florals sourced from a reject pile of fabrics in Cuming’s studio. These transformed into comfy hoodies and stretch-cuffed pants challenge traditional ideas of taste and push boundaries of beauty and ugliness. Cuming strikes the perfect balance between crudeness and consideration in his designs.