March 4, 2023 |
When we were kids, playing dress up allowed us to dream. It was a fantastical pastime charged with endless experimental possibilities. It made us feel like we could fly; we could be anything we wanted to be – a pirate, a princess, an fashion designer – and we did it all with the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe” blasting in the background. Mrs. Posh Spice channelled that idea of immeasurable potential for AW23, her second Parisian set, investigating the construction of character with references to the unconventional women that form her close-knit and evolving community.
The clothes were rather simple – modern and sophisticated – but steeped in exuberance and elaborately layered, they were far from boring. The first looks out were eclectically colourblocked and spliced plissé patchworks with sporadic billows of ostrich feather plumes. Pastel hues were paired with bold, confident colours like cobalt and fuschia. Victoria Beckham’s suiting was especially strong; the way tailored jackets shifted and bounced with every step was intoxicating. Contrast lapels were attributed to big, boxy blazers worn alone like a shift dress. Everything sat atop massive patent leather platforms with croc-embossed bucket bags tucked under arms.
Elsewhere, exquisitely draped silk gowns were cinched in at the bum, some boasting baby pink bows atop the belly button. Rigid mock neck knits were styled with deconstructed denim skirts and trousers, skewed backwards and coated in resin. Some looks had locks of faux human hair cascading out of them like tassels or serpentine entities; auburn strands slithered out from under a mesh dress; crochet knitwear and bibs were woven from hair extensions; platinum tresses were twisted into a necklace. These particularly bizarre trimmings were informed by the work of the Brazilian artist Solange Pessoa – who spent decades gathering human hair for her formidable installations. Vicky B has got her future in the bag.
Photography courtesy of Victoria Beckham.
