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Once again, I've missed out on all the fun and frivolity of London Fashion Week on a technicality: living on the other side of the world in Melbourne. It's not all doom and gloom though, at least I got to see the presentation for Phiney Pet's glorious, 'let them eat cake' inspired Spring 2016 collection. Let them Eat Cake is unofficial, please don't quote me on that, but it's so fitting considering there were handpainted biscuits including jammie dodgers and a bonnet? Like an actual bonnet, you wear on your head. Remember when Dazed announced on Twitter that Bonnetcore was going to be the next trend? Ah, memories. So that CLEARLY did not happen (for better or worse) but there were a number of cute hats which disgruntled old people, namely my mother would be offended by, especially when worn by young people. It's amazing how a straw accessory can be improved upon when black flocked tulle and smart ribbon are employed with artistic flair. I still hate straw handbags though, always have and always will. Straw boaters are still utterly charming and make me wish I had the conviction to dress like I wear a school uniform everyday for the rest of my life.
What I did find surprising is that Phiney Pet teamed up with Teva. I've never really understood the appeal of Teva or Birkenstock (and the judgmental bitch in me usually labels those who wear them as basic) but I actually really liked these sandals. I couldn't find any close up photos of them on the Phiney Pet Facebook page, which is where I got these photos, but they were embellished with the ribbons which appeared on the pastel green tulle dress. I also really like the long leg, big clumpy shoe trend and like to wear the look as often as possible. More so in summer for obvious logistical reasons. So for a big nerd like myself, it's easy to imagine oneself hunching over old sandals and giving them a new lease on life after a trip to the craft store. That kind of DIY is made easier when one has easy access to a hot blue gun, but for those more invested in making handmade things last a long time, sewing sequins or buttons or whatever is also an option.
A lot of the visuals reminded me of vintage Disney as imagined by animator Mary Blair. A lot of that has to do with the imagery of small woodland creatures, a la Bambi or Snow White alongside kawaii birthday cakes. The hand-painted leather jackets, which I practically cried over they were so good also featured a similar mix of small baby animals in pastel colours and common items from the kitchen. In that way it was very much an amalgamation between nursery rhymes, Beauty and the Beast and The Great British Bake Off. For those who hate baked goods (do people like that exist?) there were a number of intricate floral pieces and tulle dresses which completely swallowed the bodies of the models. There was basically something for everyone, and for people like me, everything spoke to them on a spiritual level, but also facilitated the intellectualization of any and every piece. I have a lot of love and respect for this brand, so it makes me even happier that they've made their clothes commercially available. Unfortunately, my bank account isn't quite as happy.
At a time when I so badly needed some kind of guidance from a cool, older sister-type figure I rediscovered the Adam Selman Fall 2015 collection and everything was right with the world. Although I had not yet resolved my conflict, or faced my inner demons but in my mind I had conceptualized the kind of person I had to become in order to achieve these goals. Cool, disaffected and confident hiding behind a pair of razor sharp sunglasses and preferably sporting a killer hairstyle. For the last few years I have believed that what we wear is a reflection of what we feel like that day and I needed to adopt a kind of armor. If I needed to act like a bitch I wanted to surround myself with plenty of strong women, the kind who intimidate men. Adam Selman's collection, largely inspired by some of John Water's iconic characters retains some aspects of original thoughts. It is interesting as it is not the regurgitation of a preexisting troupe but blends certain elements, some heavily borrowed and expresses these ideas for a consumer market.
Rather than opting for sharp winged eyeliner, red lipstick and leather motorcycle jackets which seemed the most intuitive marriage for this aesthetic Selman offered a myriad of different textures and patterns. Tiny bows decorated 1950s inspired cardigans which were countered by his stunning range of sunglasses and lace bustiers with capri pants. Different collars as well as neckerchiefs were also used as a vehicle for experimentation and deviation from an old troupe. From the outset I felt critical that this collection didn't live up to my expectations, but on closer inspection and having these standards challenged I realised that the collection had transcended these expectations. These pieces feel a little costume-y to begin with but they really are beautiful and wearable pieces. I can see myself lounging around in one of those ribbed, long sleeved dresses on the couch. From these backstage photos we can also see that these pieces can be dressed up or down, depending on whether you have mastered creating the perfect beehive. Messy goops of hair gel smeared across the forehead and creating a side-swept fringe are also deemed acceptable within this context.
In the wake of yet another successful Fashion Revolution Day which took place a few weeks ago my brain began ticking away with thoughts of ethics in fashion and particularly production. As serendipity would have it I also stumbled across Caroline Rose Kaufman, born and raised in West Virginia with a penchant for handmade clothing which combines traditional techniques with story telling. It's also been very chilly lately so knitwear has been on my mind a lot lately but her pieces are exceptional in that knitwear has not been exclusively reserved for scarves, sweaters and beanies. Needless to say, I was intrigued with her work and have always been drawn to practitioners who see their creations as three dimensional artwork rather than a piece of clothing. To anyone from Australia her aesthetic is akin to that featured in Frankie magazine and from the outset I myself was won over by her photo shoot starring a woman of colour.
Although there are specific colours which Kaufman has experimented within this collection she is in no way limited by them, instead she has explored all avenues with a variety of techniques. On the contrary, her intricate knits celebrate handmade clothing in a way that echoes human experience. The shapes of her clothes allow room for growth and development in a way that is liberating but without being tactful. Her clothes hang loosely on the figures but are enshrined in beautifully hand painted iconography or hundreds of weaved threads. They are unlike garments sold through daytime television infomercials for the sole purpose of providing a solution to women with insecurities about their weight. This is in part because they were lovingly made by hand with commercial success of lesser importance. The little beetles or cacti which appear on several of the linen dresses remind me of journal pages shared through Tumblr which again has been reinforced by the handmade brown paper backdrop.
My personal favourite piece is the gorgeous and angelic peachy coloured dress with pom poms! I only tried to make pom poms once but instead of cute little well formed fuzz balls I was left with a mess of yarn of equal length. Since said incident I have never tried again fearing the same results but I have always been struck with a quiet respect for those who have mastered the tricky little things. Especially those who can make pom pom sculptures (especially Rachel Burke writer of I make it. You wear it) in the shape and design of little fruits. For whatever reason during fall and winter I have an insatiable appetite for soft floaty dresses which are impractical given the weather but I love wearing them with lots of layers. It's my way of countering the Melbourne subculture which is entrenched in all black, very little colour and smart business coats. Those mega-talented babes who have the technical guise to create pom poms could probably create their own dress, in addition to pom pom platform heels and flower crowns.
These gingham dresses remind me of school uniforms, but that influence in particular is subtle drowned out by thick knitwear, pom poms and sheer leggings. It also reminds me of an outfit my friend Kelly from Glitterous Clittoris posted to her instagram although her take on gingham was decidedly different! A commonality to both these aforementioned sources is the gingham hasn't been used ironically but documents the steady evolution from childish things. The shapes and silhouettes are far-removed from baggy dresses, inspiring a spring of admonishments from a motherly figure assuring us we would grow into them. These have been instead replaced by loosely hanging tops, silk slip dresses and plenty of mouth watering embellishments. To say nothing of those divine wooden soled sandals with leather straps harking back to the bohemian era. These archaic artifacts have been modernized by the exuberance of youth and the most dreamy spring colour palette.
What I did find surprising is that Phiney Pet teamed up with Teva. I've never really understood the appeal of Teva or Birkenstock (and the judgmental bitch in me usually labels those who wear them as basic) but I actually really liked these sandals. I couldn't find any close up photos of them on the Phiney Pet Facebook page, which is where I got these photos, but they were embellished with the ribbons which appeared on the pastel green tulle dress. I also really like the long leg, big clumpy shoe trend and like to wear the look as often as possible. More so in summer for obvious logistical reasons. So for a big nerd like myself, it's easy to imagine oneself hunching over old sandals and giving them a new lease on life after a trip to the craft store. That kind of DIY is made easier when one has easy access to a hot blue gun, but for those more invested in making handmade things last a long time, sewing sequins or buttons or whatever is also an option.
A lot of the visuals reminded me of vintage Disney as imagined by animator Mary Blair. A lot of that has to do with the imagery of small woodland creatures, a la Bambi or Snow White alongside kawaii birthday cakes. The hand-painted leather jackets, which I practically cried over they were so good also featured a similar mix of small baby animals in pastel colours and common items from the kitchen. In that way it was very much an amalgamation between nursery rhymes, Beauty and the Beast and The Great British Bake Off. For those who hate baked goods (do people like that exist?) there were a number of intricate floral pieces and tulle dresses which completely swallowed the bodies of the models. There was basically something for everyone, and for people like me, everything spoke to them on a spiritual level, but also facilitated the intellectualization of any and every piece. I have a lot of love and respect for this brand, so it makes me even happier that they've made their clothes commercially available. Unfortunately, my bank account isn't quite as happy.
