Art School
Art School
Art School
Rottingdean Bazaar
Rottingdean Bazaar
Rottingdean Bazaar
Rottingdean Bazaar
Per Gotesson
Per Gotesson
Per GotessonAs we are known to defy convention, by which we actually just mean we always do things the wrong way round – we are diving straight in at designer number two of Fashion East and Topman’s latest MAN lineup — Art School. Reason being: I was slap bang opposite Sophia and I’ve rarely seen such a look of wild delight on a woman’s face as during their allotted 6 minutes. Mine too, tbh. It was SO good. The show marked Tom and Eden’s first time on the runway – which was totally the right decision, because this stuff was made for walking. They’re such a clever pair – they make their shows performances in this liberating, beautiful way – where movement is celebrated, as is difference – the cast were all total individuals. But they back up theatricality with great clothes – this time, the collection teetering between Marlene Dietrich tailoring and slinky boudoir.
The proof of just how brilliant those clothes are? The looks on the faces of the girls and boys who walked the show – they felt fucking amazing, and is that not the mark of a good item of clothing? Rottingdean Bazaar also deal in fantasy, but of a different kind. Their work is surreal – made up of day-to-day things – coins, a half-deflated balloon, macaroni, fashioned into sweaters and trousers to create something strange, peculiar, perverse. Unexpected. It makes for clothes that you want to collect and to gather – as the wise Richard Gray said: “it’s must-grab, take me now or lose me forever stuff”. Heed him – the lucky man has one of the duo’s pube badges. Last on here, first at the show – and certainly not in any way least – was the serene Per Götesson, who makes clothes that (sorry, cliche but true) you really want to wear. They’re super easy. Roomy denim, here turned inside out, billowing shirts, string vests that then were echoed in this sleeveless knitwear, covered in holes. Fashion East and Topman always do such a brilliant job on this – you’re our favourite fashion three-way.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
