Design duo Sergio Pires and Nicholas Humphrey delivered one of my favorite shows this season. The show opened to the sound of click clacking heels, and emerging from the top of the catwalk came pairs of models with wisps of hair frayed and teased and faces smudged in white paint. Shapes were dis-proportioned, trousers distorted at the waistband like buckets swung thigh level, held up only by thick calico toned braces. Pockets gaped, oversize, like open mouths whilst long baggy white shirts with slouchy open collars met awkwardly at the lowered waist bands. Known for both their painterly and digital prints the duo did not disappoint as they effectively simplified their use of print, keeping it relatively capsule compared to previous seasons. I particularly loved a washed out rusty nail motif, arranged in a star like formation, as well as sheer fabrics digitally printed with blown up textural images of a hessian bag. There were darker skull prints in varying scales, reminding me of Victorian carnival freak shows and a beautiful scratched steel pattern over blots of watered down blue, red and green.
As well as trousers, pleated skirts in cottons and sheers were also slung way below the waist. Suspended at a length that, when described in words, would seem inelegant but in reality had a charming awkwardness that had minimalist Japanese aesthetic with a touch of preppy tennis wear. Overall a concise an beautifully designed collection with distinct style.
Words : Lara Angol
Images : Christopher Dadey Illustration : Vic Riches