Whilst luxury brands are buoyant and many people are fast realising that cheapie Primark frocks have their consequences and are moving into a slower and more expensive way of buying into fashion, on the flipside, there seems to be a ‘tendance’ for the cheap and a bit of tackiness. I don’t mean dresses constructed out of Tesco bags or such ironic ‘cheap’ statements but I’m talking about things like polyester getting a new lease of life, exemplified by the 100% Italian polyester dresses seen at Lanvin SS08 or the lux-tackiness expounded by Balmain’s AW08 collection (I suspect there is one Christophe Decarnin-obsessed stylist dressing the whole world in Balmain but I’m not complaining…).
It’s always a hint though, a subtle nod towards tackiness that doesn’t veer right into universal bad taste. When I see Bjork & McElligott’s AW08 collection modelled by Ben Grimes (no comments about her ‘bigger’ size please because I think she’s a beaut….), I see that lux-tack vibe coming through. If I’m honest, some of the clothes do remind me a little of this shop called ‘Selene’ on my local high street back in North Finchley when I was a teen and I’d see orange lace shirts and black lurex dresses ahoy. I don’t mean that in a derogatory way though because the great thing about lux-tack is that just as you think it’s a little bit ‘cheap’ looking, you touch the fabrics and see the construction and realise that it’s not. There’s a certain accessibility about ‘lux-tack’ that is way less overwhelming than full on lux-lux. It’s that awkward/sexy thing that I’m always attracted to, which springs out to me when looking at the collection…
I’d love to see the construction on the front of those burgundy trousers. Where to find them?
xx
The last sequinned dress is beautiful with it’s oversized, square sequins but I’m really not keen on the rest of the collection. A little too tacky for me.
Ooh, I really like the collection. Great, simple colour palette, and very wearable shapes…..and I obviously live on Mars as the model looks really thin to me! I will never fully understand the fashion industry :/
OMG I used to live in North Finchley. This tidbit has lured me out of lurking. I don’t remember Selene, but I bought this maxidress from Factory Outlet that I never wore because it was too big. Dug it out this summer and it fit perfectly. Oh, and I very nearly went to Henrietta Barnet and am from HK. OK back to lurking…
Cool, simple shapes with a bit of glitz (I would say “edgy” but the word sets my teeth on edge!). The model is very pretty and not at all “big” looking, she is just not a skeletal wraith which is something we see all too much of.
are those square shaped sequins? v interesting
that last dress is to die for.
I have said it before and I will say it again: I adore ben grimes.
and those high-waisted maroon trousers.
ooohh i love this
charm is such an important part of clothes–not just the aesthetics and high-quality, etc but the charm
anyway i think the clothes with the most charm are tacky ones 🙂
these are just so charming and great…
HALFF
yourdailyunderwear.blogspot.com
mm i love awkward/sexy as well- and that so called “big” Ben Grimes is beautiful!
oh my god i absoluelty love them there soo sexy!
How much is it all though?
x