Meadham Kirchhoff

I have become obsessed. In fact, I believe obsessed is an understatement. I first came across the Central St. Martin graduates that are Ed Meadham and Ben Kirchhoff when I spotted their AW10 collection. Veils, tiaras, sheer, draped fabrics, I call it dressing up box meets couture. Before that day, I never thought I could get more excited about any other design than I did about Alexander McQueen. With glitter galore and runaway princesses I can safely say Meadham Kirchhoff have stole my heart which once belonged to the almighty McQueen.

Their SS11 show was a trip of acid bright, maintaining a hint of the flavour they let us taste at AW10. I hold the duo responsible for the trend that was dip dye/coloured hair as their models pranced down the runway with rainbow coloured locks. The style seemed to consist of a rich blend of grunge meets Wonderland. My favourite aspect of this collection? The enchanting tiaras, which feature the little ballerinas you find in musical jewellery boxes.

A doll like charm oozed from the models featured at the AW11 show. A colour scheme that consisted of mainly ruby red and jet black contributed to a bewitching vibe. With an injection of a contrasting colour here and there and not to mention the striking hair styling, Meadham Kirchhoff delivered another magical collection.

SS12. This one really blew my mind. When you thought they might be running out of ideas Meadham Kirchhoff brought ballerinas, balloons, and Courtney Love look-a-likes to London Fashion Week. The collection was full of suagr and spice and all things nice, with feathers, appliquéd teddy bears, sequins, rainbows, capes, pom poms, candy floss hair and finger paint make up. I am certain the duo will continue to enchant and inspire throughout their career in fashion.

Jean Paul Gaultier

Tattoo prints, sailor stripes and of course, corsetry are championed continuously throughout Jean Paul Gaultier’s collections. The French ‘enfant terrible’ of fashion can create both beautiful couture and bizarrely extravagant outfits down to a tee. His use of unconventional models, the overweight, the old and the heavily tattooed has caused a stir in the world where only perfectly crafted women run free.

Gaultier’s childhood was spent sketching enchanting designs, which he would go on to create out of newspaper and model on his teddy bear. By his teens he was sending his sketches to his favourite designers in hope to gain experience within the fashion industry. Pierre Cardin was one of these designers, who hired Gaultier as an assistant in 1970.

Throughout his early collections he has used a whirlwind of weird but wonderful themes such as James Bond, Japanese tourists and homosexual brides. Arguably, Gaultier could be credited for the start of the androgynous trend which the Frenchmen showcased in his spring/summer 1985 show ‘A Wardrobe for Two’, like a true innovator.

Despite catwalk collections galore, Gaultier has also touched the worlds of music and film with his magic fashion finger, including the designing of costumes for films such as ‘The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover’. And who could forget the iconic cone bra, worn by the Queen of pop herself, Madonna on her Blonde ambition tour in the early 90s.

From borrowing shoes off drag queens to introducing 3D into his fashion shows it is easy to say Gaultier is not one you can ignore. Gaultier has more than earned his stripes as a designer and will continue on until the end of his career being just as imaginative, theatrical and undeniably provocative.

Gingham

In 1939, Miss Dorothy Gale danced down the yellow brick road in blue and white gingham, in the form of a pinafore dress, accompanied with red ribbons and pigtails, and of course those famous ruby slippers.

Ever since, gingham has been associated with all things happily ever after, the uniform for fairytale heroines. But please don’t limit your imagination to matching gingham with skipping through forests, gingerbread men and eating curds and whey.

The appeal of gingham transformed in the late 1950’s when French sex kitten Brigette Bardot dressed herself in the mischievous checks on a number of occasions, including on her wedding day. Low cut, nipped in at the waist and full skirts. Bardot done the deed and the sugary sweet gingham became seductively saucy.

Christopher Kane captured Bardot’s Lolita style in Spring/Summer 2010 as he showcased a collection constructed in gingham, in sugar mouse pink, baby blue and lemony yellow. Kane juxtaposed the dainty colour palette with structured bodices and slits up skirts. Very ooh la la indeed.

Rewind time to the 17^th century to the creation of gingham. Originally, the fabric was in fact, striped. It wasn’t until the mid 18^th century, far away in the mills in Manchester that checks were finally spun to make gingham what we recognize it to be today.

Once again the Spring/Summer catwalks have been injected with a hit of gingham. Sheer and shiny at Marc Jacobs, vintage inspired at Jil Sander and even tailored in black and white at Alexander McQueen’s menswear.

Despite its innocent charm, gingham still has the ability to be both prim ‘n’ proper and deliciously raunchy. However, be careful not to overdose on the sickly sweet fabric to avoid looking like a pair of cutesy cottage curtains. Take on board little darling Goldilocks’ strategy, test out the amount of gingham before you wear, to make sure you get it just right.