FW17 GLITTER

MEN

CREDITS

MAKEUP: MAC COSMETICS AND SAMMY MOURABIT
HAIR: DUFFY (STREETERS)
PRODUCTION: LA MODE EN IMAGES
MUSIC: ‘SAMSON ET DALILA: MON COEUR S’OUVRE Á TA VOIX’ BY MONTSERRAT CABALLÉ (REMIXED BY JEFF JUDD)

NOTES

GLITTER… I CHOSE THIS NAME AS A REACTION TO THE LAST CYCLE OF MY COLLECTIONS, WHICH WERE ABOUT FACING PHYSICAL AND ECOLOGICAL DECLINE GRACEFULLY… HOW DO WE FIND THE GENTLEST WAY TO REACT TO CULTURAL AND POLITICAL THREAT? I MIGHT HAVE SUMMARIZED THAT SENSE OF DOOM WITH THE LAST FEW SHOWS AND NOW IT’S TIME TO MOVE ON.

‘GLITTER’ REFERS TO A PERIOD IN THE SEVENTIES CELEBRATING SLEAZE, TRANSGRESSION, SEXUAL LIBERATION AND ANTICONFORMITY WITH A STOMPING BOMBAST. IT WAS ABOUT AN ALMOST GROTESQUE ARTIFICE, REJECTING FEARS IN OPPRESSIVELY TROUBLING TIMES.

I’M ALSO REMINDED OF FRENCH WOMEN’S HATS REACHING RIDICULOUS EXTREMES TO MOCK THEIR OCCUPIERS DURING WORLD WAR 2.

‘GLITTER’ IS ABOUT A DELIBERATE GRITTED TEETH DECISION TO CELEBRATE AND DO THE VERY BEST WITH WHATEVER YOU’VE GOT WHILE YOU CAN; AN UNHINGED DEFIANCE IN THE FACE OF TURBULENCE.

I’M NOT SAYING THIS COLLECTION DOES ALL THAT, BUT IT’S IN THERE SOMEWHERE.

FABRICS ARE HAND-PAINTED IN TONES CALLED ‘BEAN’ AND ‘TOAD’ — SHINY AND CHALKY. WOOLS ARE DENSE AND RIGID, JUTTING OUT AND COLLAPSING AROUND THE BODY IN STIFF FOLDS. SWEATERS ARE ENGINEERED TO HIKE UP AROUND THE MIDRIFF, CROPPING THE TORSO AND ALLOWING HIGH WAISTED PANTS TO CREATE THE FULLNESS AND SWEEP OF A WIZARD’S GOWN.

SLEAZY NYLON DOWN JACKETS ARE BOUND AND WRAPPED WITH T-SHIRTS, LIKE BALLOON ANIMALS, IN BALLOON ANIMAL COLORS — DISTORTING, SWELLING AND DRAGGING.

WOOL DUCHESSE BLAZERS AND NARROW COATS HAVE THEIR HACKED OFF SLEEVES REPLACED WITH TIGHT MISMATCHING KNIT TUBES TO TURN ARMS INTO LONG WANDS.

DOWN-LINED CABANS ARE STRIPED WITH STRIPS OF CANVAS AND PAINT IN MUTED TONES WITH THE VOLUME OF OPERA CAPES — OPERA CAPES TO LISTEN TO MONTSERRAT CABALLÉ SINGING DALILA’S RAPTUROUS ARIA TO GAIN SAMSON’S TRUST BEFORE SHE DESTROYS HIM.

WOMEN

NOTES

IF THE MEN’S FALL COLLECTION WAS ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF THE 70S — GLITTER AS DEFIANT FLAMBOYANCE IN REACTION TO TURBULENT TIMES — THE WOMEN’S COLLECTION, WHICH CARRIES THE SAME NAME, IS ABOUT THE GLITTER OF CIVILIZATION. AFTER PROTEST, ONE’S ATTENTION MIGHT TURN TO PERSONAL BEHAVIOR, AND MAYBE EMBRACING WHAT MAKES US CIVILIZED CAN BE OUR MOST POSITIVE ACT.

CEREMONIES ARE ABOUT GROUPS AGREEING ON CODES OF BEHAVIOR AND COLLECTIVELY COMMITTING TO THEM. UNDER THE MOST CIVILIZED CIRCUMSTANCES, COMMUNITY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND KINDNESS USUALLY TOP THE LIST.

I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF RUNWAY SHOWS AS CONTEMPORARY CEREMONIES. HOW CAN WE USE THEM IN THE MOST POSITIVE WAY? I’M NOT SAYING I HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT BUT ASKING THAT QUESTION IS THE DIRECTION I WOULD LIKE TO GO.

MITRES, CROWNS, AND VEILS ARE FASHIONED FROM FADED T-SHIRTS AND SWEATSHIRTS; LONG CLOAKS, ROBES, AND CAPES ARE PATCHED TOGETHER FROM PAINTED CANVAS, THICK WOOL MELTON, COWHIDE, AND RAW COTTONS. THIS SUGGESTS AN IMPROVISED PERSONAL SENSE OF FORMALITY AND RITUAL — ARTE POVERA GOWNS TO WEAR IN MICHAEL HEIZER’S CITY.

COATS AND JACKETS ARE EXTENDED WITH WOOLLY BLOBS AND BUTTRESSES WITH SKINNY KNIT SLEEVES EXTENDING TO THE KNEES. DUVETS ARE TWISTED AND KNOTTED AROUND THE BODY AND THEN REPEATED IN NUTRIA AND PEKAN FUR; ROBES PEEL OFF THE BODY AND EXTEND OUT IN CRUMPLED FORMATIONS THAT EXAGGERATE THE PELVIS.

DEEPLY SLIT GOWNS IN PAINTED CANVAS OR SILK MEGA DUCHESSE ARE WORN OVER CASHMERE KNIT BOXERS AND TANKS. SHOES ARE STRETCH SOCK RUNNERS WHICH ARE MY VERSION OF AN OPERA GLOVE COMBINED WITH A SNEAKER.

I WEAR MINE UP TO COVER MY KNEES DURING THE DAY AND SCRUNCHED DOWN AT THE GYM.

I’VE SOUNDTRACKED THIS SHOW TO BEETHOVEN’S PIANO SONATA NO. 3 IN C MAJOR — A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT CIVILIZATION AT ITS BEST SOUNDS LIKE.

CREDITS

MAKEUP: MAC COSMETICS AND SAMMY MOURABIT
HAIR: DUFFY (STREETERS)
PRODUCTION: LA MODE EN IMAGES
MUSIC: PIANO SONATA NO. 31 IN A-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 110 AND PIANO SONATA NO. 3 IN C MAJOR, OP. 2, NO. 3, BEETHOVEN (REMIXED BY JEFF JUDD)