28 posts tagged "Meadham Kirchhoff"
An Ode to Petri
In gritty 1980s London, John Galliano was wrapping up his studies at Central Saint Martins, Leigh Bowery was hosting pansexual club nights, and Nick Logan launched The Face. It was a time of unencumbered experimentation—sartorial and otherwise. And it was during this era that stylist Ray Petri—the man responsible for the anti-glam Buffalo movement—emerged on the scene. Petri (formerly Petrie) laid the bricks for the eclectic British fashion scene of today. His editorials, which set the tone in magazines such as Arena, i-D, and the above-mentioned The Face, pictured rough London teens in unexpected combinations of high fashion, tough workwear, athletic clothes, underwear, vintage, and beyond. He created not only a look but an ideology that was universally recognizable. And now, the iconoclast—who died of AIDS in 1989—is getting a magazine named after him.
Founded by Zadrian Smith—a London-based writer, stylist, and producer who’s worked with such publications as Tank, Love, GQ Style and British Vogue—PETRI(E) Inventory 65 (the stylist would have turned 65 this year—published annually, the numbers will bump up accordingly) seeks to breathe new life into Petri’s legacy. Aiming to channel the man’s uncompromising, unfiltered vision, PETRI(E)’s editorial array extends far beyond fashion. The debut issue offers an ode to Petri by British Vogue’s Francesca Burns, a photo essay by Saiful Huq Omi that lenses the hope and strife within Bangladesh megalopolis, Dhaka (above), and an essay by Valerie Steele on her upcoming exhibition, Queer History. “I think there’s a vulnerability and honesty to each piece that I hope readers will appreciate,” Smith told Style.com. Also included is an editorial titled “Melody of Caged Birds,” (above, right) which, featuring Meadham Kirchhoff’s designs, serves as a visual antidote to the suppression of raw creative impulse. “Don’t get me wrong,” said Smith, “I know fashion is a business, but there needs to be a greater balance of business and creativity. At this rate, fashion will bleed itself of organic artistry.”
PETRI(E) Inventory 65 launches on May 20, and is available for preorder here.
Ladies & Gents, Unsexed
The concept of blurred gender lines isn’t anything new. But it’s been at the front of our minds over the last few months, after seeing gaggles of girls dressed like boys (Saskia de Brauw in Saint Laurent’s Spring menswear campaign, Tamy Glauser, Jenny Shimizu, and Ashleigh Good on Givenchy’s Fall ’13 men’s runway) and boys dressed like girls (thank you, J.W. Anderson and Meadham Kirchhoff ). The art world seems to be pondering the topic, too. Evidence? Last night’s opening of Ladies & Gents—an exhibition at Salomon Contemporary that aims to cheekily explore our perception of the sexes. Featuring sixteen works, like Kiki Smith’s Daisy Chain (a long metal chain with a woman’s head and feet, made in 1992), Deborah Kass’ Four Barbras, Six Red Barbras, Four Barbras (a 1993 Barbra Streisand-centric silk-screen series), and Judith Hudson’s Bribe (an irreverent 2009 watercolor of a topless, pearl-adorned woman), the show lightheartedly juxtaposes masculinity and femininity, and sometimes fuses both. Take, for instance, E.V. Day’s work Spidey / Striptease (2012). Known for deconstructing fashion items (like a Chanel jacket, an Hervé Léger bandage dress, and pink panties) and stringing them up into complicated webs, Day presented a piece that combined a shredded Spider-Man costume, fishnets, and red stiletto heels. “I love Spider-Man, because his web looks just like a fishnet stocking,” said Day. “And that brought me to the realization that there’s a feminine idea about him,” she added.
Nir Hod—who showed Genius, a new painting that depicts a jaded, judgmental child wearing what looks like Elizabethan clothes while he smokes a cigarette—insisted that his work is about pure beauty. “That’s beyond gender. If you asked me if this was a boy or a girl, I couldn’t even tell you.” Continue Reading “Ladies & Gents, Unsexed” »
Dressing for Laughs
There’s been lots of talk about the controversial practice of “peacocking” this season. But as we look back at four weeks of Fall ’13 shows with weary eyes, a few designers (and street-style stars) remind us that the f in fashion stands for fun. And perhaps embracing that with a little panache isn’t such a bad thing—particularly when it comes to novelty accessories. Take Dior, for instance: This season, Raf Simons brought a dash of wit to his slick collection by embossing boxy handbags with Warholian sketches of pointy single-soled shoes, thereby fusing two of our favorite things into one. (His raised-eyebrow sunglasses also deserve an honorable mention.) At Fendi, Karl Lagerfeld garnished his handbags with furry multicolored dice (one of which reminds us a little bit of an Angry Bird), and over at Chanel, he sent out models with mini-globe handbags and cobalt, powder-pink, mint-green, or red fur Anna Wintour bobs that looked like they were plucked from an anime cartoon. Speaking of fur, we can’t forget the giant skunk-striped mittens that turned up at Altuzarra or, for that matter, the arctic-appropriate full-length black gloves at Alexander Wang.
We also saw loads of cheeky headgear (Yazbukey‘s Plexiglas heart-and-arrow hat, Piers Atkinson‘s devil-horn cap, Meadham Kirchhoff‘s unicorns-in-love crown), jewelry (Henry Holland‘s crystal martini earrings, Lanvin‘s wildly appropriate “Help” pendants and wasp brooches, Louise Gray‘s eggbeater earrings), and miscellanea (Dsquared²‘s Sunset Boulevard-worthy extra long crystal-encrusted cigarette holders). But the sartorial satire wasn’t just on the runway. Outside the shows, Tommy Ton captured everything from skeleton gloves to Vika Gazinskaya’s scarf, which is made out of what appears to be a stuffed-animal iteration of a lemur. Sure, many of the shows were dark and somber, with their punk themes and muted palettes. But that just made the odd touch of zany all the more welcome.
Black and White and Gray All Over
The London shows wrapped yesterday and, to our surprise, the city—known for its vibrant (in every sense of the word) young talents—gave us clothes in uncharacteristically subdued hues. Not that that’s a bad thing. As Marc Jacobs‘ show poignantly proved, gray is emerging as a prevalent Fall tone (perhaps a rebellion against the techno prints and acid shades we’ve seen in seasons past). And this held strong across the pond, with designers like Mary Katrantzou (above, center), J.W. Anderson, Richard Nicoll (above, left), and Thomas Tait favoring the shade. (Not that they were married to it. Tait, Nicoll, and Anderson each had splashes of orange, too.) Katrantzou—London’s princess of vivid prints—was a particularly unexpected (and successful) color convert, showing a meticulous collection that consisted mainly of black and gray, with hints of emerald, lilac and cobalt. But most surprising (and thrilling, for that matter) was Meadham Kirchhoff (above, right). The designers ditched their rainbow sequins and beloved disco palettes in favor of an almost entirely black, white, and ash Fall range. That’s not to say it was bland—vinyl ruffles (like the ones that trimmed the designers’ skirts and trousers), no matter what the shade, could never be bland. But it was indeed a directional departure from their typical kaleidoscopic mix. Don’t be mistaken—London’s pared-down palettes don’t mean the fog has taken over, and there were plenty of colorful clothes on offer to prove it. However, a few of the city’s talents have figured out that they don’t always need to employ prints and brights to pack a serious punch.
The Split-Second Preview: Meadham Kirchhoff
The Fall ’13 season is now well under way, and as we follow the shows to London, Milan, and Paris, we’ve asked some of the most anticipated names to offer a sneak peek. Naturally, it’s a busy time for everyone—designers and fashion watchers alike—so we’re pioneering the split-second preview: tweet-length previews at 140 characters or less. To view all of our Fall ’13 previews, click here.
WHO: Meadham Kirchhoff, designed by Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff
WHERE: London
WHEN: Tuesday, February 19
WHAT: “This collection is dedicated to the long-distant memory of integrity.” —Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff. The designers sent us an inspiration image for their Fall ’13 collection, which they’ve titled Helter Skelter, above.