July 15, 2017 |
Edward Meadham, one half of the brilliant, but now disbanded, design duo Meadham Kirchoff, is back. Again. Following on from the success of his first “bits-and-bobs” collection for his own label, Blue Roses, he’s returned with chapter 2 – appearing this weekend at Dover Street Market and Matches.com. Gleefully maximal, and subversively childlike, these are clothes for, in his words “kids and weirdos.” We caught up with him for a quick chat about the new collection…
FINN BLYTHE: How would you describe Blue Roses, in your words?
EDWARD MEADHAM: I always find it really hard to describe what I do…
FB: You didn’t want the first Blue Roses release to be called a ‘collection’, it was more ‘bits and bobs’ – but now it feels closer to a full collection. How has this second chapter built upon the first?
EM: I feel like chapter two is more of a mini collection as opposed to chapter one, it’s a bit closer to becoming a full range. Chapter one was more of a graphic exercise and that’s what I built on. The t-shirts expand upon and continue that language, even the dresses use similar elements – like one of the dresses has “love is revenge” written on the hem, while another has “god is love-love hates you” on it, both which were used in elements taken from chapter one.
FB: You said yourself you were angry back when you were doing Meadham Kirchhoff. Are you still angry?
EM: I think anger can be a good energy, and it is an intrinsic part of who I am, but I’m not as angry as I was in those days, I’m allot calmer and less suicidal. There were just so many uncomfortable situations and contexts in the old days that contributed to how crazy I was, which I’m happy to be away from now.
FB: Is the Blue Roses project a bit of a rebirth after the painful loss of the MK archive?
EM: That was a really drawn out and painful experience. The loss of everything – not only in a physical sense but also, my identity was entirely intertwined with what I did, and when that was gone, along with my environment and everyone I was surrounded by, I felt bereaved. Having the archive taken in that way by someone who really had nothing to do with anything, and no actual reason to do what they did – to be powerless to stop it was very frustrating. But I have tried to let go of that now – it happened – it obviously still makes me sad that there are so many pieces I’ll never see again, all those little fragments of my brain and my history just dissipated, but as I said, it’s happened, now I’m just building a new life
FB: I’m right in thinking the “Tarantula Arms” top is a reference to Blanche from Streetcar? It’s not the first time you’ve referenced the work of Tennessee Williams – what’s the connection you share with his plays?
EM: Yes indeed, tarantulas arms is a reference to Blanche DuBois, which, along with the name Blue Roses is a Tennessee Williams reference. I identify so strongly with Tennessee’s words and his characters, who are usually broken artists teetering on the edge of sanity. But I also recognise a real strength and heroism in those characters.
FB: You always said that Blue Roses was for the ‘kids and weirdos’ – i.e. the people who weren’t addressed in todays fashion system. Is that how you’d describe how you stand in the industry?
EM: I would like Blue Roses to exist on its own. I’m not interested in trying to fit into any current trends on any level.
