Blow Presents

Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen really knows how to create an atmosphere, from the cinematic, industrial music down to the models’ other-worldly, meditative expression. The attention to detail is absolutely mesmerising.

Iris Van Herpen left a lasting impression on me from last season’s Blow Presents… show and her Autumn/Winter 10-11 collection, ‘Synesthesia’ succeeded once again in leaving me temporarily speechless.

‘Synesthesia’ describes a state of dual cognitive senses, such as hearing colour, smelling motion or feeling sound and this perplexing condition characterises Iris Van Herpen’s Autumn/Winter 10-11 collection.

The winding knots, twists and volume of the leatherwork creates a trompe l’oeil effect and manipulates the senses.

Iris Van Herpen is a true fashion architect and her sculptural garments are painstakingly intricate and beautifully crafted. She creates those long, slinky strips using metallic leather and continues to work with Ecco Leather.

The Autumn/Winter 10-11 palette centres around bronze, gold, taupe, nude and black and dark purple, with many of the garments creating a two-tone effect. Her dresses externalise the inner bodily composition while exaggerating the female form with voluminous hips, curved busts and nipped in waists.

The accompanying look of the models was lucid and clinical with bleached eyebrows, pale glossy faces and milky lips and eyes. The cloud-like angel hair was styled by James Brown and added to their look of just being hatched from a laboratory pod.

After graduating from ARTEZ Institute of Arts in 2006, Iris Van Herpen assisted Viktor & Rolf and Alexander McQueen. She’s obviously taken inspiration from both designers’ artistic concept mixed with semi-couture detailing.

Iris Van Herpen brings drama, concept and intrigue to London Fashion Week and her shows continue to be among the most fixating, intense and awe-inspiring.

* All photos by: Chérie City

Gemma Slack showed her A/W 2010 collection in a presentation at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, complete with a promotional film and a live performance from Chew Lips.

For Gemma’s third collection, the silver tribal collars and oriental hats of Spring/Summer 10 have been replaced with draped gold chains and intricate facial jewellery – a collaboration between Gemma and Katie Rowland Jewellery called Rowland Vs. Slack.

Black leather panelled and sheer body con dresses continue the super heroine, gothic aesthetic, but they are less structured and certainly more wearable than last season’s rigid silver cone skirts.

For the winter season, Gemma has worked with more texture, using wool and embossed leather.

There are references to Jean-Paul Gaultier’s exaggerated femininity with the integrated suspender belt, structured bustiers and ‘pierced nipples’ holding up a layer of diaphanous chiffon.

Gemma Slack’s woman is part fierce biker girl and part elegant vamp. Many of the pieces are actually based on classic tailoring, like the asymmetric, long black dress and the sculptural tulip skirt.

The Autumn/Winter 10 collection doesn’t make such an intense impact as the last season’s but it’s the attention to details like leather-trimmed hems and the contrast between the fuzzy and smooth fabrics that really appeal.

There’s a bit of Gareth Pugh (Gemma’s one-time mentor) in the cropped jacket with an almost blow-up leather collar and the jumper with studded elbow pads echoes Ashish.

Despite the Catwoman and 80s references, Gemma Slack’s pieces are very modern and simultaneously complement and fetishise the female body. It would have been great to see the garments on female models, as the sheer panels and cut-away sections leave some styling questions. Plus, it would make the clothes look even damn sexier!

All photos: Cherie City

LFW Day Two: Iris Van Herpen @ Vauxhall Fashion Scout

Gemma Slack A/W 10 presentation @ Vauxhall Fashion Scout