10TH OCTOBER 2022, Patrick McDowell showcased his new Spring 2023 Ready to Wear, his first to be featured on Vogue Runway. This show was in collaboration with the new fashion school: JCA, and showcased four MA students: Melissa Kate studios, Sophie Park, Size A and Angels Wear Nada.
Firstly Patrick, this collection named Marie Antoinette goes to Liverpool, focused on Patrick taking inspiration from his childhood and birth town Liverpool. The show started with slow, eluding music that led to a pose style tune about the glitch and glamour of voguing in Liverpool, to me what sounded like a drag style theme tune which I loved!
The outfits were next, leading with a regal style coat and matching skirt. The design featured puff sleeves tied at the elbow with a black bow and a corset style waist shaping the figure of the model in the oversized puffer coat. The material looks almost quilt like and very thick, perfect for a cold day. The garment included an extra-large hat that sat on a mountain of 1970s style rollers, relating to the time period of Marie Antoinette. Lime green football boots were an ode to the football nature of living in Liverpool, personally a culture I relate with a lot coming from just outside of Liverpool myself and understanding of the Liverpudlian culture. Although this works with the theme, I don't personally think is matched the outfits and think the jewels the embellished the boots were unnecessary.
Patrick used his own made fabric - a silk/mesh style that was used mainly for capes and veils. This fabric featured pastel colors with pictures from Patrick's Childhood printed all over. A moment that stood out to me was an older man in just boxers holding a flag, other hand holding a young girl's hand, I felt the nudity of the model next to the young girl was quite inappropriate and do not understand why the male had to be wearing so little, and I do not understand the overall meaning of this look.
For the MA: JCA students: Melissa Kate, Size A, Sophie Park and Angels wore Nada.
My favorite was the heels and sneakers by Size A, I thought these were a perfect mix between heel and streetwear and were very stylist and on trend. I preferred her shoes to her tracksuits but loved the gilet on one of her outfits. Melissa Kate, I have followed for a while and actually assisted her at Nothern Fashion Week, I felt this collection compared to her NFW collection and previous work I have seen was good but wasn't my favorite. The use of wigs took attention away from the garments and I felt were quite distracting, the overall tailoring and design of the garments were very good though and I was very impressed by her corsetry.
Angels By Nada, I also have been following for a while and before the show we discussed possible design ideas as she was asking for ideas and critique on her work. I love how she reimagines denim, but the clothing was definitely not wearable pieces and were most artwork. Her model choice was perfect, the models were extremally confident and looked fabulous, getting applauses from the audience as soon as they walked into the room.
Finally, Sophie Park, she designs weren't my favorite, but I did like the aesthetic of the silver and black mixed into a collection. I didn't feel her shoe designs were somewhat incredible and felt somewhat underwhelmed.
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