GLITTER... I CHOSE THIS NAME AS A REACTION TO THE LAST CYCLE OF MY COLLECTIONS, WHICH WERE ABOUT FACING PHYSICAL AND ECOLOGICAL DECLINE GRACEFULLY... HOW DO WE FIND THE GENTLEST WAY TO REACT TO CULTURAL AND POLITICAL THREAT? I MIGHT HAVE SUMMARIZED THAT SENSE OF DOOM WITH THE LAST FEW SHOWS AND NOW IT’S TIME TO MOVE ON.

‘GLITTER’ REFERS TO A PERIOD IN THE SEVENTIES CELEBRATING SLEAZE, TRANSGRESSION, SEXUAL LIBERATION AND ANTICONFORMITY WITH A STOMPING BOMBAST. IT WAS ABOUT AN ALMOST GROTESQUE ARTIFICE, REJECTING FEARS IN OPPRESSIVELY TROUBLING TIMES.

I’M ALSO REMINDED OF FRENCH WOMEN’S HATS REACHING RIDICULOUS EXTREMES TO MOCK THEIR OCCUPIERS DURING WORLD WAR 2.

‘GLITTER’ IS ABOUT A DELIBERATE GRITTED TEETH DECISION TO CELEBRATE AND DO THE VERY BEST WITH WHATEVER YOU’VE GOT WHILE YOU CAN; AN UNHINGED DEFIANCE IN THE FACE OF TURBULENCE.

I’M NOT SAYING THIS COLLECTION DOES ALL THAT, BUT IT’S IN THERE SOMEWHERE.

FABRICS ARE HAND-PAINTED IN TONES CALLED ‘BEAN’ AND ‘TOAD’ — SHINY AND CHALKY. WOOLS ARE DENSE AND RIGID, JUTTING OUT AND COLLAPSING AROUND THE BODY IN STIFF FOLDS. SWEATERS ARE ENGINEERED TO HIKE UP AROUND THE MIDRIFF, CROPPING THE TORSO AND ALLOWING HIGH WAISTED PANTS TO CREATE THE FULLNESS AND SWEEP OF A WIZARD’S GOWN.

SLEAZY NYLON DOWN JACKETS ARE BOUND AND WRAPPED WITH T-SHIRTS, LIKE BALLOON ANIMALS, IN BALLOON ANIMAL COLORS — DISTORTING, SWELLING AND DRAGGING.

WOOL DUCHESSE BLAZERS AND NARROW COATS HAVE THEIR HACKED OFF SLEEVES REPLACED WITH TIGHT MISMATCHING KNIT TUBES TO TURN ARMS INTO LONG WANDS.

DOWN-LINED CABANS ARE STRIPED WITH STRIPS OF CANVAS AND PAINT IN MUTED TONES WITH THE VOLUME OF OPERA CAPES — OPERA CAPES TO LISTEN TO MONTSERRAT CABALLÉ SINGING DALILA’S RAPTUROUS ARIA TO GAIN SAMSON’S TRUST BEFORE SHE DESTROYS HIM.

MAKEUP MAC COSMETICS AND SAMMY MOURABIT

HAIR DUFFY (STREETERS)

PRODUCTION LA MODE EN IMAGES

MUSIC ‘SAMSON ET DALILA: MON COEUR S’OUVRE Á TA VOIX’ BY MONTSERRAT CABALLÉ (REMIXED BY JEFF JUDD)