As Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s Exhibition Hall was prepared for today’s menswear presentations, I sneaked to the forefront of the action to admire Nimesh Gadhia’s debut collection, ‘Ethereal Conflict’. Instead of the archetypal male models strutting around, I witnessed Gadhia’s choice of expert black-belt fighters who were warming up on suitably coloured teal gym mats. This reminded me of the purpose behind Post Human Wardrobe, “a contemporary menswear brand that takes traditional elements of men’s tailoring and garment construction and applies them to various extreme physical disciplines”. I got a detailed look at some of his pieces before the show even began, absorbed by the neutral colour scheme, ranging from navy to white via khakis and greys. The presentation began in time to a modern, upbeat dance track and the martial art wrestlers performed a striking piece highlighting their incredible flexibility and strength. Their movement emphasised the stretch and durability of the clothes, as they appeared in contemporary suits, stripping their black jackets off to reveal fitted shirts with skinny ties. Others wore outfits constructed of asymmetric lines with skewed cut shirts.
The presentation finished with a vivid short video, shot in greyscale. The audience were entranced by a montage of behind the scenes action, filmed at an angle. Male silhouettes signified power as a fourth figure leapt over in a final display of supremacy. The music died to the thud of men’s feet hitting the floor.
As the rest of the viewers were left in a daze, gripped by Nimesh’s creative flair, I was able to chat to him about what we’d just observed!
What was your inspiration when designing ‘Ethereal Conflict’?
I was interested in Brazilian Martial Arts, Jujitsu and Capoeira, and wanted to explore the freedom of movement behind this and transfer it to the clothes I make. I wanted to create practical menswear by applying traditional methods and technique. Because I gave so much attention to patterns and the method behind clothes construction, I kept the colours quite neutral to avoid overkill.
Are you enjoying exhibiting with Vauxhall Fashion Scout for London Fashion Week?
Yes thanks. It has been hectic to arrange everything for today but fashion’s fashion and it’s going really well so far.
Words : Tess Stam
Images : Alex Fynn O'Neill
Words : Tess Stam
Images : Alex Fynn O'Neill