nyfw: jeremy scott
(images via wwd)
the only drawback to jeremy scott’s f/w 2011 new york show full of zany, neonmetallictechnicolor superhero-ettes (you’re sold, aren’t you? already.) was in the rather large number of particularly emaciated models strutting his catwalk.
indeed, i am quite used to the very thin and most other pejorative adjectives one can find to (unfortunately accurately) describe models, but when a large number of the girls looked as thoroughly—shocking? cadaverous? wizened?—as homegirl above (even in the known-to-be-widening horizontal stripes), well, it drew attention away from the clothes. and that wasn’t an easy task.
(i’ve purposely eliminated the images with the thinnest girls from this review for the reason that i find them borderline offensive. yes, jeremy scott is known to be a subversive designer, but giving us bodies that thorougly distract from the clothes negates the point of a fashion show altogether. as this review is meant to be a discussion of said garments, we’re looking at ones that speak most reasonably from their presenters. let’s move on.)
similar to richie rich, mr. scott’s show was about kitsch and spectacle, providing takes on superhero costumes (and those oft-ridiculous sassy shirts that keep the likes of hot topic & spencer gifts in business) that were not unlike the outfits the spice girls dreamed up during their heydey.
although not immediately apparent (the shoes often felt too high and some of the garments, frankly, too skimpy), mr. scott said that the show was inspired by raver garb of the early nineties. “I was thinking of my youth, of that period in college…the excitement of getting dressed, doing your hair and getting ready for a club or a rave. This epitomized that moment. I loved clear plastic. I would make clear plastic kimonos to wear,” the designer said.
titled “candy flip” (x+acid), the show twirled through club kid favourites—albeit with less material. we saw plenty of fuzzy orange fabric, translucent plastic raincoats, pleather, metallics, furry shoes, sequins, mesh, and some very adult ruby slipper-like shoes (top). this wasn’t brilliant fashion, but neither is its intended mark; these are girls who like nothing more than to be noticed on a solid night of dancing. for that, it was a good collection, full of lively nostalgia that might encourage one to go to a party instead of crying into a tea kettle at the idea of aging.
however, it does leave one question unanswered: with those the collection would appeal to unlikely to be able to afford it (most ravers i’ve known prefer to make their own), who does the designer envision his target customer to be? let’s all of us pray we don’t see 40/50-something magazine editors strutting around the ues in metallic micro-jumpsuits and furry pink platforms. i’m all for age democracy, but some things are well left to the teenagers.
update: (see the runway finale video here)
