(22 Feb 2001) English/Nat
TITLE: LONDON FASHION - MCQUEEN,
DATE: 21ST JANUARY 2001
LOCATION: LONDON
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN has raided his childhood memories for his new Autumn/Winter collection and presented a show that boasted giant teddy bears, outsize toy soldiers and a life size merry go round.
Having just won yet another British Designer of the Year award, and with a tidy sum in the bank after selling 51% of his label to fashion giant Gucci, McQueen had every right to feel flamboyant.
And flamboyant his show was, showcasing the darker side of a mildly twisted childhood imagination in a warehouse transformed into something from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, blending the film's music with Marilyn Manson's teen angst rock - and pole dancing models.
Wearing black lipstick the models danced provocatively around the "fun fair" catwalk in military style black leather, slinkily-cut jersey dresses, sheer lace and ostrich feather mini-skirts.
Noting down the product numbers from the front row was Kate Moss, Bianca Jagger and Gucci chairman Domenico de Sole.
Despite the prevalence of theatrics - one model trailed a gold human skeleton from one ankle - there were some beautifully crafted pieces, including tuxedo style suits, figure hugging satin dresses, luxuriously embroidered coats and velvety soft pistachio suedes, proving McQueen has the touch for desirable, commercial clothes which Gucci so wisely invested in.
The fun fair theme continued into Marian Pejoski's (pronounced: - Marriane Payovski) show which began with a model in aqua blue leather hotpants and jacket, tailored in like 19th century military uniform, coming onto the catwalk to grind the organ and kick off the music.
Originally from Macedonia, Pejoski is renowned for his appliqué and the theme of this, his third show at London Fashion Week, was exotic birds.
Almost all of the 22 pieces shown had a reference to peacocks, swans or ostriches, ranging from the subtle to the show stopping swan outfit consisting of a short but wide jewel encrusted skirt, with a couture swan neck made of real swan feathers, finished off with a swan neck and head wound round the shoulder.
Marjan tends toward the impractical and outrageous, but among the more wearable items were handknitted jumpers with bird motifs in sequins and crystal, long knee high cowboy boots with high heels in soft buttery leather, engraved with nude women, another of his favourite images.
Other fabrics included sheepskin and leather, while the palette was based on peacock colours - gold and blues, reds, purples and strong greens.
Marjan sells his couture from the London and Paris branches of his partners' Kokon Tozai boutique, while Liberty carry his jeans and T-shirt line. He also has outlets in Hong Kong and New York.
Roland Mouret's show was devoted to, and inspired by, the grungier popstars like Courtney love, PJ Harvey, and, according to him, Dido. Other influences were underground culture, the theatre of the absurd and, according to Mouret himself, meaningless one night stands.
The result is a black based show that effortlessly blends Courtney Love's holey, fishnet grunge look with beautiful flowing fabrics to produce glamorous clothes his female pop idols would love. And, if he had anything to do with it, they'd wear the clothes with no make-up.
Black dominates but allows occasional deviations into sparkling black, dark glittering grey, and a purple flowing evening dress which, like all the others, is asymmetrical.
"The clothes are just fabric, " says Mouret, " it is the women who give them glamour."
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