December 11, 2014 |
God is speaking through Absolute 70s. As I looked through images from Christian Dior’s pre-fall 2015 collection, Life on Mars by David Bowie came on. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Not that the models looked like Martians. Heavens, no! But they did look unearthly. As in not belonging to Planet Earth. They wore make-up like that of Padme Amidala in Star Wars and boots like that of a woman from Star Trek (I would be specific but I’m no Trekkie). The hair was strict, split into centre-partings and tied into tight plaits. Sequinned roll-necks were worn throughout: under coats, gilets, jumpers and dresses. These sequins (and the snow falling onto the catwalk) gave the show a Christmas-y feel. (But maybe that’s just the sound of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley singing Last Christmas that came on after David Bowie impairing my judgement.) But the patterned jumper and dress towards the end gave the show a Christmas-y feel too. So it can’t have been all down to George and Andrew. And there was a fur coat, knee-length and sleeveless, that looked softer than a baby labrador; a trench coat, belted and patent leather, that wouldn’t look out of place on Trinity from The Matrix. This collection, though cosmic, has an appeal that is universal. It had the audience clapping and will, we’re sure, have the cash registers ringing. Raf, as usual, has given us a vision of the future – a vision that we want in our wardrobes. And for that, we applaud him.
By Ted Stansfield
