Photo Credit: Geprgina Langford
You know that a fashion show is going to be fun when Spice Girls ‘Wannabe’ is playing on the sound system as you walk in. The arcs of pastel balloons and glittery gold curtain were also something of a giveaway. At last season’s show, the Meadham Kirchoff models appeared en masse for a fleeting glimpse of the collection, so this time around the fashion pack were primed for an altogether more unusual catwalk experience. And we weren’t disappointed...
A bevy of Courtney Love-alikes bounced out in babydoll dresses, their peroxide wigs daubed in pastel paint, dancing and liberally dousing themselves with a powder puff as Hole blared out of the speakers. This alone was enough to raise a smile from even the steeliest of fashion editors (that’s right Anna Wintour, we saw you giggling). The girls continued to smear lipstick on their faces and throw themselves about as the first models emerged. The first round of clothes were doll-like and cartoonish; a cardigan featuring a pair of massive be-lashed eyes, a white gypsy dress with fluted sleeves tied with a powder blue bow, and a crystal-embellished micro mini dress, a mass of ice-white fluff.
A brief balletic interlude ensued, as a troupe of young girls pirouetted onto the catwalk wearing flower-adorned leotards and red ballet shoes. There were definitely some proud mums in the audience. The gold curtain dropped to reveal the second part of the collection, a group of Marie Antoinette inspired looks, complete with stiff corseting, panniers and powdered wigs. Glittery Geisha ‘flatforms’ and sparkly knickers with dangling crystals were two highlights (for everyday wear, obviously!) as well as voluminous shredded silk jackets and skirts.
This collection was Nineties-tastic, playful, eccentric and girly to the max. If the rapturous applause for Ben Kirchoff and Ed Meadham as they peeked out from behind the golden curtain is anything to go by, then these two could soon take their rightful place as the heart and soul of London Fashion Week.
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