When we last spoke to Gareth Pugh he gave us his thoughts on the fast food fashion Instagram blogging machine: “The idea of a creative industry that is led purely by the sums – “X sold better than Y so let’s not produce Y again, but let’s do X in another colourway” – isn’t creativity at all… It’s just basic-bitch pretty frocks and wedges.” And he ain’t no basic bitch. No, this was the collection for “women who accept zero bullshit.” Love it. It wasn’t about what would sell (we’ll talk about what we’d buy in a minute), it was about creating clothes for empowered women because honestly, women aren’t accepting any bullshit anymore.
Yes, these were clothes for a boss ass bitch who knows what she wants, flouncing down that runway in wide shoulders that made any weakling in their way step aside. Pants were cinched at high paper bag waists, slate grey meant business on jumpsuits, trench coats and suit jackets. Rich glossy black leather coats and fitted dresses were giving us matrix vibes. Hoods were up, hands in pockets, leopard print made them roar. The hint of electrifying blue sent a spark through it all. Their eyes and faces were smudged with black bruised purple, dangerous. It was dark but it flattered that body so well, scooping it in, ready for action. Grrr.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd Evans