Daily Front Row

2007 September 16

Gareth Pugh - London Fashion Week Spring 2008

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Gareth Pugh Spring 2008
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(LONDON) A gigantic red balloon went bang and Gareth Pugh's Spring 2008 show was off to a predictably explosive start. A model in a crystal mesh mini dress and a mask in the shape of a cube strutted down the catwalk while heavy techno music was at full blast. From then on, it was just pure Pugh magic, only more wearable. Leather was fashioned into long coats, mini dresses, belts, straps, and embellishments: fringed, creased, shredded, and sliced, Pugh endowed the material with his signature touch and eclecticism. The typical S&M fascination resurfaced in the bondage straps, and head gear, particuarly the gimp mask-esque looks, which left faces completley concealed. Pugh's dark sense of humor was hard to miss, especially in his furry white shawl, composed of little white mice. After the show many wondered whether Pugh should even start his own couture house: "He is a clever boy. He can do whatever he wants," Colin McDowell, the London Times's critic, said.