Tuesday 10 January 2012

S/S 2012 Trends Review 3

Anti-Beauty

Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff, creative directors of fashion label 'Meadham Kirchhoff' teamed up with Tavi Gevinson, editor in chief of new teenage magazine 'Rookie', to create an S/S trend like no other!

The label surprised all at London Fashion Week with it's recreation of the topsy turvy world of the teenage girl; one of first loves, experiments and crazy mood swings. The collection cleverly reflected all of these aspects of teenage life through an edgy Alice in Wonderland style looking glass, think Alice falling down the rabbit hole meets 90s grudge. This unique collection has created a novelty S/S trend, which has been donned 'Anti Beauty'.

Though in many ways the trend is completely bonkers and is sure to have a love/hate appeal, some pieces are surprisingly wearable with ballet style net skirts, pretty pastels, neon accessories and innovative prints.

The founders of the trend were by far the most experimental, a personal favourite of mine from the Meadham Kirchhoff collection was the red love heart pinafore. I have never been a fan of pinafores because I find it hard to associate them with anything other than school. However, due to the Alice in Wonderland teenage feel of this collection the piece was very fitting and though the back to school image is not completely lost with the high knee socks it is given edge a button up collar, which was a big essential of the a/w season, the split up the side of the skirt and sunglasses. 


Other designers that opted for Anti-Beauty in their S/S collections were Louise Gray, Vivienne Westwood, and the Moschino Cheap & Chic range.

Scottish designer, Louse Gray, has yet again proven to be the master of mixing prints, colours and textures to create something surprisingly wearable.

The collection had a Gwen Stefani feel to it. The definite stand out piece had to be the red and black dress with pink 3D ruffles worn over a white blouse. Despite the girly choice of colours the dress had street-wear influences also, in keeping with anti-beauty.

What I particularly liked about the Louise Gray collection, in comparison to the extremes of Meadham Kirchhoff, was the fact that, although it was definite case of more is more, almost all of her pieces were incredibly wearable if you take away all the catwalk styling. I could see myself wearing the red chiffon, embroidered dress pictured below.


Vivienne Westwood, stuck somewhere between the 70s and light years in the future when it comes to style, is just the right person to take the anti beauty trend and make it her own. The collection was both dreamy,  bubbly and dark. The high romance looks were jumbled together with random left over materials from dazzling silk and sequins to nylon, plastic and the usual cobwebbed fishnets.

Westwood definitely put the grungy punk element into the look and the clown style make up added to the crazy down the rabbit hole, magic roundabout mish mash that anti beauty seems to be. 

Though I did not particularly warm to the collection, so to speak, I did appreciate the creativity behind it and respect the sheer courage of Westwood.


The Moschino Cheap & Chic the sister line to the main label was created in 1988 to provide a more affordable way to add some Moschino into your wardrobe. The line, much like it's elder sister, aims to evoke a sense of fun in it's vibrant and energetic clothing. 

Clearly the younger sister brand is fulfilling it's purpose, as there were few catwalk collections as fun as this one. The catwalk display was like entering a fruit and veg market, with make shift stalls on the stage and of course the fruity cute collection itself. The pretext behind the 5 a day collection was the mantra of 'a healthy mind means a healthy body' and this was certainly evident in the bright designs, that are sure to bring a smile all faces. 

In keeping with the teen inspired trend, the pieces were definitely targeted at a younger audience with carrot styled buttons and cute apple print dresses with rah-rah skirts. The use of strong shades such as daffodil yellow and iris prints gave the pieces the catwalk edge they needed.

6 comments:

  1. Anti-beautiy is an interesting trend, this is the first I have heard about it. Wonder how it will translate to retail and to street style!

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  2. Really cool post, great blog (: .xx

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  3. I'm not the most colourful of dressers but I'm actually liking this anti-beauty look. I'm going to embrace some prints and pastels this summer.
    Great post!

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  4. so nice, i love how individual they are :)

    Jessie
    coppergarden.blogspot.com
    x

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  5. such a fun dresses!

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