Gareth Pugh has returned to London. The city where he planted the seeds of his out-there career was ready for it. England, in fact, was perhaps the recurring theme of this collection. Even a beaver-skin hat makes an appearance on one model, perhaps referring to English guards. This show started with a video by long-time collaborator Ruth Hogben of a model, chopping off her locks and painting herself red like St. George's flag, then bursting in surrealistic flames.The perfect combination of history and modern, macabre and full of life, black and shocking red were on full display. What emerged was strong and tribal. The crude red paint was across the faces of the models. Solid and elongated Trojan helmets sliced through the air atop a few model's heads. The clothes themselves were bold, in black of various textures. These clothes were heavily draped and belted, thick and entirely covering from the neck down. There was a sense of the ecclesiastical in the clothes, sliding down across the floor like old nun's habits with hands actually folded in front. To clash, there was a war-like ambiance, with leather breastplates and chains around the neck and chin. There were a few looks made of fur and shag fabric and a few made of something unconventional: black plastic drinking straws. These straws were draped over each other and hung, to look like a metallic-, plastic-looking fur. An absolutely hard collection like this deserves endless attention.
Photo Credit: Style.com
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