February 27, 2020 |
In the post #MeToo era, sex has been largely absent from the catwalks. Conventional sexy codes no longer reflect the lives we live or the values we hold. Rather than grapple with the question of modern sexual expression, many designers simply avoid it. And yet, the freedom to live without shame and embrace who we are is a desire that won’t go away. Some designers are creating a new modern language of sexuality and empowerment that better fits the times we live in. Casey Cadwallader at Mugler is one. Crafting leather into second skin bodysuits and baggy biker pants, he created clothes that have a powerful pull.
A mesh bodysuit was hoiked high up over the hip bones and worn with low-slung leather trousers. Tights segued from ripples of sheer to opaque creating new undulating erogenous zones on the legs. A short leather dress with an oblique zip looked like it was sliding off the body. Bella Hadid closed the show in a swirling sinew of a dress, its layered, shaded opacities amplifying her shape as she slinked down the catwalk. The collection was shown on models of diverse body type and gender, further underlining the idea that conventional sexy codes just aren’t enough any more.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans.
