The Bite Magazine - Issue 11

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portraiture.When Meadham and Kirchhoff
were approached by V&A to participate in
December’s Fashion in Motion event, they
choose pieces from previous collections,
such as Suddenly, Last Summer (SS11) and
A Rebours (AW10), which featured gothic
dresses overlaid with floral painted biker
jackets and veils in colorful shades. “We
are very pleased to be involved with the
V&A’s Fashion in Motion series. When
approaching every collection or garment
we secretly hope to make something
worthy of being seen in a museum, so
for us, it is an honour to present a show
comprised of hand-picked pieces from our
favourite collections,” they shared.
That being said, its little wonder why,
Oriole Cullen, Fashion in Motion curator,
chose them to be featured. She said,
“Meadham Kirchhoff is known for creating
a fantasy world in their collections through
their beautifully crafted garments and
focus on fine detail. Their shows always
contain an element of surprise and wonder,
often with a hint of darkness, and we are
delighted to have the opportunity to bring
this experience toV&A audience.”
This open-to-the-public presentation
was an ideal situation for the design duo
to showcase their talents to a possibly
unaware mass audience, which thus
exposed people to find and pull their
own style inspiration from the combined
collection. It’s nearly impossible not to
look at these stunning ensembles and
not be motivated in some way. The
collaborative pulling and mingling from
their various shows flowed seamlessly as
one could see how they blended peasant-
like looks with royally inspired designs -
complete with milkmaid dresses and fine
jewels and tiaras. However, one could also
see a very retro, rock and roll vibe clearly
clashing against upper class prep as well.
Seeing their work will have a profound
effect on the viewer as it’s all wonderful,
all beautiful, and all utterly glamorous,
and that’s exactly what these designers
want you to come away with - a sense of
coquettish feminine mystery concealed
within gorgeous garments.
Overall Feeling: I cannot express my
love for these two geniuses! Their ability
to work with such a range of styles, eras,
fabrics, detailing, etc. is insanely cool! I
would love to try on any of these pieces,
or style a film or theatre production where
these items could be seen by millions!
While each look can definitely be seen as a
bit funky or even crazy, one can pull them
apart for absolutely wearable pieces to add
to a personal wardrobe.
Favourite Looks: What I have named
“The PinkVeiled Gypsy Princess” is beyond
amazing!The details in this look are insane!
Also, the black sequin gown and the white
Marie Antoinette Pannier Skirt, loving it!
bitefashion