Gareth Pugh's electric New York debut fires up British Folklore, live performance and hypnotic multi-screen visuals
Yesterday evening, in a vast warehouse on the edge of the East River, Gareth Pugh made his New York debut, transforming Pier 36 into a dramatic, immersive display of hi-tech lighting, roaring film, live performance and a powerful edge of signature Pugh madness.
Swapping his usual Parisian runway for lofty Manhattan concrete, Pugh replaced the model walk for a climactic dance choreographed by Wayne McGregor. Dressed in skullcaps and bodysuits, models contorted and spun in front of three different film installations projected across eight screens, amidst smoke and flashing lights. The audience moved in waves from one side of the space to the other, following the performance as stages shut down and burst open. “Essentially these all sit together as one body of work," Pugh explained. "Exploring the relationship between chaos and control.”
The logistics may have altered, however Pugh’s customary dramatic elegance and ethereal gothic charm was still there in the monochromatic harlequin prints, voluminous silhouettes and sculpted headdresses, styled by AnOther’s Fashion Director Katie Shillingford. The show culminated with a white figure suspended in the air like a phoenix, ribbons streaming across like a canopy as dancers arched and writhed below her.
“It is about exploring the relationship between chaos and control” — Gareth Pugh
“Rites, rituals and British Folklore are all key elements this season,” said Pugh, who presented the show as part of Lexus: Design Disrupted. “I thought it was particularly important to communicate a sense of handwork in each piece. A sophisticated fabrication and a high level of finish, but realised in a very hand-crafted traditional way. They are all components that go together to tell one complete story.” Pugh’s story is one that has set a bar for fashion week, and, like the folklore that inspired him, will be retold for seasons to come.
Text by Mhairi Graham
