#LFW: Gareth Pugh Spring 2017

Exceptional fashion is operatic. Designer Gareth Pugh has combined them both. He designed 60 of the costumes of the recently debuted Eliogabalo in Paris for the Venice Carnival Festival. Written by Francesco Cavalli, the opera tells the story of a tyrannical child emperor who declared himself the Sun God. Aside from the costume work, the production inspired much of Pugh's Spring 2017 collection. "He's an agent of chaos, a crowded anarchist, emerging amid a climate of greed and narcissism. It's essentially about an empire eating itself - which felt alarmingly relevant." With the American political climate the way that it is, you would think he was talking about our election.

How did this muse influence the fashion collection specifically? The first group of looks consisted of dramatic silhouettes around a gold and black sun. The black sun represented a gaping void as a reference to Francis Bacon's Innocent X. According to Pugh, it was the "ultimate symbol of insatiable hunger and consumption". The beautiful gold mosaic embellishments symbolize the fractured idea of wealth and chaos.

The second group makes way for the most commercial looks of the show. Monochromatic  purple, white and black looks were draped and twisted beautifully onto the body. The effect was like a contemporary Goddess. It was relaxed and flowing. I would be happy to fill my entire close with these looks.

The third group saw the gold and black sun evolve into an earthy sunburst. The graphic pattern now stood for the idea of renewal, mysticism, and fertility. The silhouettes here were cocoon-like as opposed to the rigid, structured shapes of the gold mosaic group. The sun's rays worked its way into a stripe on some of the looks.

The Gareth Pugh Spring 2017 was one of the shows I was most looking forward to when I knew I would travel to London. I didn't know if I would see human harnesses, intellectual Goth or a cocktail dress made of straws. I just knew it would be impressive and unexpected. I am happy to say I was not disappointed.

All photos by Mariana Leung

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Celebrating Beauty at the Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial

What is beauty? The Cooper-Hewitt Triennial explored this concept with 63 designers of various disciplines. They wanted to examine beauty that was > extravagant, intricate, ethereal, transgressive, transformative, emergent, and elemental. How did these designers display beauty in a contemporary way? 

We are not talking inner beauty. This was a beauty that appealed to the five physical senses. The Giambattista Valli gown was made with layers and layers of degrade tulle, both visually stunning in volume and color and soft in fabric. The objects I gravitated towards all had an element of material manipulation to create a dimensional shape.

Iris Van Herpen had a crocheted, twisted cord bodice and structured dress of resin and iron filings. She is famous for her creations that examine the body form in a technical way. 

Nail artist Naomi Yasuda created mini wearable nail sculptures inspired by Japanese kimono motifs. Mary Katranzou is known for her hyper-real prints. Her dress on the top right embellished on top of the patterns with dimensional silk and PVC textures. 

On the other hand, I had assumed the ultra bright geometric prints from the VLISCO studio were digital. They are wax resist in the Batik tradition in pored by African textiles.

These awesome millinery creations are from Maiko Takeda. They are a part of her Atmospheric Reentry collection. She constructed what she called an "aura" around the head out of tinted acrylic, plastic, and silver. 

Gareth Pugh is a favorite of anyone Goth fan who appreciatesaid high design. The color black dominated most of his collections. This makes it easier to see the extravagant silhouettes he creates. These outfits are made of leather, wool, plastic straws and more. 

The Cooper Hewitt Design Museum is great for anyone who appreciates design. Many of the exhibits are interactive. I love the electric pen you can use to save everything you like to download later. The Beauty Triennial is on now until August 21st, 2016.

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Fashion at the Olympics Closing Ceremonies

Danny Boyle brought Britain's rock n' roll to the Olympics opening ceremonies.  Last night however, creative director Kim Gavin and production designer Es Devlin will be famous for bringing British fashion to the Olympics closing ceremonies.

The industry most memorably showcased in the closing was fashion.  Famed photographer Nick Knight had his photos of Britain's supermodels, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Stella Tennant, Lily Cole among others blown up and driven around the stadium.  The photos lifted to reveal the actual models themselves who then strutted the spokes of the Union Jack on the world's biggest runway.  The models wore British designers Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, Erdem, Vivienne Westwood, Victoria Beckham, Jonathan Saunders and Burberry.  

The Pet Shop Boys made an avant-garde entrance in bright orange prism-shaped carts dressed in dramatic Gareth Pugh.  Annie Lennox made a gorgeous Gothic style presentation in a corseted red gown.  She descended into a chorus of Goth-clad dancers in romantic ballgowns and frock coats.

Style I didn't care for as much?  Jessie J's barnacle-crusted nude bodysuit.  I"m sorry, did I miss something?  Was this an homage to oyster fishing in the British Isles?

I was excited to see the Spice Girls all looking so sexy and chic.  Geri Halliwell (aka Ginger Spice) looked fantastic in a shapely red dress with a nod to her signature British flag mini with a bustle made with the Union Jack.

While I  enjoy seeing fashion designers being honored at non-fashion events, I don't know if I really needed to see so much screen time devoted to models clomping down the stadium.  With an arena full of the most extraordinary athletes around the world, I found it almost an insult to celebrate models who are much more famous and better paid for merely walking.  I would have loved to see some of the Olympic athletes be the ones wearing British fashion designers.  Showing the artistry in the fashion with all of their muscle and showing the clothes in motion would have been truly impressive.  Imagine, a gymnast tumbling across the stadium in a flurry of satin,  a runner racing through while sparking in a beaded body suit?  

Is that too much to ask?

PHotos from Phil Noble, Just Jared, Getty, Reuters

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Gareth Pugh's Haunting Fashion Video for Pitti Immagine

Gareth Pugh is one of my favorite edgy fashion designers.  He presented in Italy for the the first time at Pitti Immagine #79 by showing a haunting fashion film he created with Ruth Hogben.

The images draw from religious iconography and Florentine opulence, and the film was projected onto the ceiling of a 14th century church.  The music was a spooky mix of deep piano horror riffs, searing violin, or  epic religious themes.   The clothes ranged from body-conscious and erotic, to flowing, avant-garde silhouettes.  Oversized feathers were involved, though I'm not sure if they were more accessory or prop.

Here are some stills from the film above, you can watch the full video here at showstudio.com .

Images from Gareth Pugh 2011

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