Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show London Womenswear FW2016

Garteh Pugh sent out a strong message with his fall-collection: women are in charge. The powerful show was hinged on demonstrative, strong-shouldered tailoring with tinges of Thierry Mugler and Claude Montana.
It’s been a while since skirt suits stalked a European runway, and Pugh’s were streamlined and compelling, whether in camel, prince of wales check or an electric blue wool covered with embroidered stars.
Flaring pants were another key element in this ode to Eighties power dressing. They anchored a bounty of terrific coats: mannish and military ones with big gold buttons; cozy wrap numbers with built-in shawls; and dramatically flaring swing styles with cape effects.
Runway gimmicks included Hannibal Lecter masks and briefcases handcuffed to wrists, adding a disquieting frisson to what Pugh called an exploration of “the visual codes of raw female ambition.”

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear SS2014

I Want to Break Free, was one of the songs from the Gareth Pugh soundtrack this week and it viagra without a prescription indeed felt like the designer was in a rebellious phase. It was time for something different, or as Pugh stated himself: “It’s that idea that if you’re pleasing everyone, you’re doing something wrong!”. So his audience was treated to a new kind of Pugh. There were enormous feather headpieces, architectonic larger than life collars, floor sweeping trains and shiny creations made out of plastic. Yes it was an over the top collection, shown by models with drag queen-like make-up. But still the presentation had a touch of serenity too, which came through in the color palette (with monochrome looks in hues of white, black, gray and the surprisingly fresh teal), the clean cuts and the absence of accessories and jewelery. Pugh is definitely breaking free for Spring 2014; let’s hope his clientèle is ready to make this change with him!

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show Paris Womenswear Fw2013

Inspired by the Asgarda tribe, a group of Ukrain warrior women who segregate themselves from the everyday world to become strong and independent the designs indeed seemed to empower as the models wearing them looked tough and confident. They appeared feminine and Victorian in Pugh’s long and lean silhouettes (in shades of black, white, grey and blue) with raised necklines and dramatic floor sweeping skirts. Structured leather and gold embroidered silk looked both Gothic, romantic and futuristic. Simple T-shirt inspired tops with chic pockets (a reference to the Asgarda women) added a new minimalistic approach to Pugh’s line. They formed quite the oppossite of the series of black finale dresses, which got a little more drama with every look. Who would have thought trash bags from a one pound shop could look this impressive?

 

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2013

Gareth Pugh held strictly to his linear graphic style for his ss2013 collection, but this time it seemed softer, even more romantic than before. He even threw in scarlet red to change his palet of black, white and gray. Pugh was inspired by cockfighting, which explained the bloodred, the long hems and extended train-like sleeves. Plus the bloodred make-up. He also put in some flamenco-vibe and Japanese details.

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

The black confetti surely gave the show of Gareth Pugh a moody edge. Not that he needed this, since his collections always reflect a dark, mysterious mood. Somehow Pugh let go of his fetish looks and toned things down. There was lots of leather, fur and a contrast of volume. Appealing were the  fuzzy black fur coat that opened the show plus the sharp-shouldered dresses with a leather bodice and a full fur skirt. Luckily Gareth Pugh didn’t forget to put some drama ans exaggeration in his presentation, that’s what a show also is about.

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show Paris ss2012

Again a film opened the show of Gareth Pugh in Paris. Ruth Hogben made a short movie with a naked Chrystal Renn, who appeared to be bound and completely ferocious. It set an angry tone for the collection. The first part of the show the clothes looked like cages, coats made of stiff horizontal strips. Was this about protection or defense? The cages were followed by tight dresses and cropped vests in black and white.

At the end the film screen burst into purple flames, and dark warriors appeared in shiny molded coats and matching helmets.

 

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2011

Gareth Pugh was back this season with a good old fashion-show. And his language didn’t change much really: black is still his friend and gothic is one of his favorite sources. But he also embraced fluidity and color.

Gareth Pugh Video Fashion Paris SS2011

For now the British designer Gareth Pugh sticks with video to present his collection. Not that it’s cheaper or saves time, but it makes him show and express his collection in the way he wants it.

Every now and then a designer is experimenting with video. Those clips are great to watch, but it somehow leaves you unsatisfied. It’s the tension in the room, the music, the smell of clothes and  everything that gets together during a show that creates that special vibe. But anyway, Pugh made a wonderful 11 minutes videoclip starring Kirsten McMenamy. Filmmaker Ruth Hogben was responsible for the short movie and in an interview with the International Herald Tribune she said: “I was completely led by Gareth’s designs. I try to make a representation of every piece of fabric, every shape and sculpture. I am trying to convey Gareth’s world. I play with scale, physically some parts are quite claustrophobic. There is a lot of freedom, depth and space — a vast, endless infinity of the world.”

Nick Knight, who will present the video at www.SHOWstudio.com, is a great instignator of fashion on film. In the IHT he explained why: “Firstly, it is a true artistic expression that the designers can control,” he said. “Secondly they can get so many more people, from 300 to three million. And because — although it hasn’t happened yet — designers will want to sell their clothes.”

The collection is built around modular jackets, rubberized neoprene, stretch silk jersey and high-tech effects of geometric silicone pattern and digitally printed clothes. It is possible to order the garments directly while watching the video online.

(Pictures: Gareth Pugh Lookbook)

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

Gareth Pugh may have used a softer approach for his fall/winter collection, his models – with black sprayed foreheads – looked as Gothic as they ever did. They wore heavy, stiff, leather designs and some transparent pieces. Many clothes were pointy to the sides and a lot of the fabrics had frayed ends.

Strong were the women on the runway, dressed in Pugh’s long silhouette accentuating pieces. They looked quite the opposite of some of the male models, who were dressed in tight pants and a rigging or a tank top.

Many of the clothes touched the floor as the models walked the runway. Especially the wide legged male pants were floor-sweeping.

A lot of attention went out to the collars of the designs. They came in many variations (pointed, standing, folded) and looked out of the ordinary.

The show pieces in Pugh’s finale must have weighed a few pounds extra while they had lots of gray chains attached to them. We didn’t immediately jump off our seats when we saw those, but they sure fit perfectly with the Gothic feeling of the show.

Gareth Pugh Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

Gareth Pugh is fashion’s new darling. And everybody want to be part of his popularity these days regarding all the vips front row like Rihanna and Michael Stipe. For his ss 2010 collection Pugh moved away from his hard edged super-structured looks, this time he emphasized a more romantic and softer mood. The first outfit—an loose trench over a floating chiffon dress in  shades of gray—set the mood, along with wrapped heads, makeup that shaded the models’ faces as though they’d walked through an ash cloud. Of course Pugh experimented with fabrics: feather-light tops, micro-pleats or slashed crepe & chiffon for dresses and pants. This collection seemed a new step for Gareth Pugh, daring but effective.

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