Per Götesson knows how to make a smashing pair of jeans. Becoming somewhat of a denim connoisseur, the Swedish designer has warped the fabric into all sorts of variations in the past. Swelling then shrinking, twisting then turning heaps of the stuff into interesting shapes that have transformed the simplest of jeans into something rather special. AW20 was no different, with Götesson now utilising the fabric in totally new ways. A floor-length trench made from fabric scraps in various hues preceded a chorus of denim-on-denim looks that gave Justin and Britney a run for their money – including an excellent oversized jacket spliced with a biker’s beloved leather. Aprons, another new addition to Götesson’s repertoire, came both floor-length and in a crimson red crushed velvet, the same used to align jean waistbands. “I think velvet is one of those materials where some people love it and some people hate it, that’s why it’s interesting for me,” said the designer after the show.
Collages created in partnership with Patrick Waugh paid homage to 1960s queer playwright Joe Orton, who was known to adorn the walls of his Islington flat with pages torn from library books. A version of the flat was immortalised as the focal point to the set, accompanied by a graveyard of urinals – a cottaging hotspot laid to rest. Points of perversion came toe-to-toe with moments of sheer beauty. Husam El Ode, Götesson’s partner both on and off the catwalk, worked his magic in turning trash into treasured jewels, ending the show with a crown made from cedarwood pencils. This was a collection made for kings, queens and everything in between.
Photographs by Jason-Lloyd Evans.
