As the Marc by Marc Jacobs show drew to a close and Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley stepped out in all their polished, sophisticated glory, it was hard to associate either one with the early 90’s British rave scene which so clearly inspires their new collection of candy latex, PVC and slogan hoodies. But back in the day, Luella was famed for holding fashion shows-cum-parties in the apartment belonging to Pulp's bass player, Steve Mackey, and it was on the party circuit that she first met Hillier. This was their youth and their time, and they have reinvented it for S/S15.
"Boiler suits and a host of clubland colours took us right back to a dirty warehouse in 1991"
The multi-coloured pop collection features bandeaux tops, fetish skirts, rubber boots and utility shirts. Bright polka dots echoed Marc Jacobs A/W11, while boiler suits and a host of clubland colours took us right back to a dirty warehouse in 1991. Double-buns came courtesy of Guido and echoed a young Björk. Despite its NY roots, the entire collection is very British, from Fergie Purcell’s streetwear input, to the latex sourced from East London’s fetish authority House of Harlot.
When Bartley’s label was forced to close in 2009, fashion mourned the loss of a vital, effervescent voice among a more serious crowd. With her appointment at Marc by Marc, there is a clear reignition of some of that Luella charm, easily recognised in MJ’s velvet Mary Janes and sweetheart necklines. The Luella girl is back, and she’s rubbered-up and ready to rave.
