Here, Adrover veers more toward art than the commerce of fashion, which has always been both the brilliance and the challenge of his work. Naturally, from the business side this begs a question. If there are no patterns, how can the collection be produced for retail? “I don’t intend for this collection to be produced,” he says. I am not looking for clients. With this one, my only goal is to make myself happy.”
     Some may think that he’s playing a joke, thumbing his nose at the fashion world yet again. Possibly even completing the circle with a big F.U. And who knows…. Not having to be concerned about sales and production, he’s free to lean more fully into his tendency toward provocation.
     But Adrover has his own way of explaining things: “I think I am returning to something I did in some ways in the beginning yet I have grown and have had time to think a little. I have been designing a commercial collection for hessnatur for five years now. And this collection evolved from wanting to share what I was feeling using clothing. I locked myself away in some respects and just let it all out of my head. It was not completely intentional “not to sell” but it was not what I was thinking about for sure when I made this. It was purely an artistic expression. And a statement in a way against convention and luxury. I am here to share my experience. I am here because I got my energy from this city from the beginning. This city allowed me to express my point of view and I want to drop that energy back again. I want to get people excited about being fearless in your thoughts, about letting your creativity go without thinking about what it would cost or who will buy it.”
     With signature Adrover wit, this show is titled “Out of my Mind”. Plenty of people will say he is, for having the audacity to come back and send an entirely un-commercial collection down the runway. But, as always with Adrover, the meaning is more layered than this. He also means that he’s out of his mind with fashion as commodity, out of his mind with the way it’s marketed, the environmental impact of it, and so on….
     Of course, these are the kind of statements that got him into trouble before. But he seems less concerned about that now, with his position as creative director at Hessnatur and their support in making this collection.
     Whether his Fall / Winter 2012, “Out of my Mind” collection is applauded or dismissed, received with appreciation or offense, Miguel Adrover remains one of the deepest, most profound thinkers in fashion, who also makes gorgeous clothes, and it’s exciting to have him designing again.
     However it all plays out, I’d just like to say one thing: Welcome Home, Miguel. We’ve missed you.