Ghost of a flea: This Is Not A Room

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September 20, 2010

This Is Not A Room

Yet another Central Saint Martin’s graduate artiste, sometimes styled the "queen of hyperrealist chic", Mary Katrantzou is a talked up property of this year's London Fashion Week.

Elle compares her spring/summer 2011 collection to Gianni Versace and Alexander McQueen.

Which is absurd.

Entitled "This Is Not A Room", the surrealist world of Magritte was plain to see. Her hyper-real digital prints featured graphic interior sets from Guy Bourdin and Helmut Newton's fashion shoots. So vivid were the trompe l'oeil prints, you could almost walk in to them. But this is Katrantzou's signature.

The moving-on moment came from the 3D shapes. Angled pelmets framed shoulders and skirts, Victorian lampshapes were used literally as skirts, complete with intricate beading and boning that showed Katrantzou's skill as a sculptor as well as a master at creating prints.

There is nothing hyperreal, let alone surreal, about a lampshade skirt if the skirt is, in point of fact, a lampshade. That isn't even realism, it's just real.

Hilary Alexander got it right when she called it "world of interiors". Except I think she meant it as a compliment. At least last year's perfume bottles had the virtue of being curvy.

In the plus column: Legs!

If you are set on getting a lamp dress: Go for Marianne Maric.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at September 20, 2010 05:48 AM

Comments

At the very least one has to pair a lampshade skirt with fishnets, as in the days of our forefathers.

It is right and meet so to do..

Posted by: Chris Taylor at September 20, 2010 07:56 AM