February 14, 2019 |
“How does it feel to treat me like you do?” As a club mix of New Order’s Blue Monday blasted from the speakers, the AW19 collection from Preen by Thornton Bregazzi unravelled in front of our eyes. This season it was all about dance. And not just the club kind. From Welsh clog dance to Morris dance, Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi took us on a tour of the British Isles as they borrowed elements of folklore and tradition, amping them up with their own memories of clubbing at Haçienda. Even the set design inside the Vauxhall warehouse replicated the original Ben Kelly-designed interior of the now derelict Manchester nightlife venue.
The clothes on show were a pretty interesting mix of all these elements, poured into contemporary silhouettes made for dancing too. Scottish plaids, heavy coats, and a great styling trick of fishnets worn over coloured tights – it was a youthful interpretation of tradition, with slashes of pleats, ruffles and bare skin softening the masculines shapes. Safety belts and rosettes brought in the decorative factor, again referencing the costumes worn by Morris dancers. Morning came along, and so did the glam finish of the collection. Sequinned party dresses and delicate lacey frocks were the heavy-hitters in the show, pieces that will surely get their way on the dancefloors in the coming months. Being a party girl never seemed more appealing.
Photographs by Jason-Lloyd Evans.
