Illustration courtesy of Valerie Pezeron

Fashion’s new blood is bubbling just a stone throw from Somerset House’s established dinosaurs. Last Friday, Gemma Slack presented her new collection in the luxuriously cosy confines of Freemasons’Hall as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout.

I was one of many who packed inside a dimly lit room complete with splendid ceiling and it was soon obvious we were not going to be treated to the usual fashion show. In lieu of a catwalk, industry insiders were to be shown a projection and there was a big screen spread in one end of the room.

The anticipation was of the type usually reserved for designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen and quite a few fashionista were clad from head to toe in the designer’s clothes. A phenomenon is about to be unleashed…

Then the movie starts; the diaphanous mood is set with poignant music, shaky camera handling and pouting models pretending to be great actresses…and it worked in a strange kind of way! Still, I did shrink several times. The lighting was so effective that models’ ribs were highlighted like cutlets for the chop. If it was meant to be sexy then there must be something wrong with me.

But then again, it must have been done on purpose as one of Slack’s famous pieces is the spine dress. This autumn winter collection references again staples of Gemma Slack’ trade, from Dracula and Victorian references, untreated leather and golden chains. But none of them are in the film.

Fashion is embracing video as a way to express mood and life style. It is all about effective communication and nothing sells little black dresses better, it is hoped, than digital short films immersing you in the world of a brand. It was all very intriguing, I must say but not at all surprising from the maverick who recently graced the pages of Grazia, Vogue and Dazed. For Gemma Slack is an artist first and foremost.

As I meandered across the room, staring at mannequins floating above in the glare of neon spotlights, I thought that maybe this is how legends are made. It’s not really about the studded hand molded vertebrae scales leather dresses, metal and aluminium materials or the mohair with human hair. We need to dream and we need to be challenged. And on that day, Gemma Slack dished out a big serving of disquieting femininity for me to take home.

Written by Valerie Pezeron on Monday February 22nd, 2010 10:11 pm

Tags:

Alexandre McQueen, Autumn Winter 2010, Catwalk review, Dazed, fashion, Fashion Designer, Gemma Slack, Grazia, London Fashion Week, Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Vivienne Westwood, vogue

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