British designer Louise Gray recently announced she'll be taking a year-long hiatus from her spot on London Fashion Week's schedule. This is a real shame.
In place of designing for her eponymous label, Gray says she'll be, "working on design and consultancy projects for major brands, as well as collaborating with my friends in London."
Even amid London's bold crop of young, avant garde designers, Gray's shows always stood out for their sense of near-anarchic fun, a consistent mish-mash of clever tailoring, beautiful prints and then usually a bunch of random shit resembling the detritus of a Supermarket Sweep cart dash — it all (mostly) made sense even though it probably shouldn't. Here's some of the many things London's runways will probably be missing these next two seasons:
1. Hand-drawn crown eyebrows and exclamation mark earrings.
2. This hair-raising hairstyle.
3. And this model wearing something that resembles that cheap fake coral you put in your home aquarium.
4. I think this is actually the innards of a box of wine attached to a knit sweater here, which is just a fantastic idea.
5. And I think this is a birds nest, constructed by a bird with a strong sense of color.
6. This trash bag take on a belt.
7. And this trash bag take on an ostentatious fascinator.
8. This fake mohawk on model Kelly Mittendorf, who never seemed to make as much of an impression as her features should dictate.
9. These brilliant sunglasses, which should definitely replace the basic black shades you see worn all too often on the front row.
10. Another shot of the sunglasses. Also note the lovely cobalt blue beauty mark.
11. And then this, less beauty marks and more a case of fever. FASHION FEVER.
12. This sheer shift dress with handy mirror panels. Not sure what they're handy for, exactly, but that's a minor detail.
13. Your own personal supply of toilet roll. Never get caught short again!
14. And this model bravely soldiering on after her pet piñata blew up. She could use a few sheets of toilet roll to wipe away her tears.
15. These Styrofoam earrings, because pearls just don't cut it anymore.
16. And yes, it does say "HEY CRAZY" on those sunglasses.
17. This commitment to the art of crimping, not to mention the art of nonsensical layering.
18. This, whatever it is.
19. And this heart-shaped balloon hat. (Also, earrings made out of whistles!)
20. Hoop earrings covered in tinfoil that are probably a big seller on Etsy.
21. And this metallic trompe l'oeil take on a jaunty little hair bow.
22. This Christmas decoration-style craft project you made at school during art class. Paper chains were always your favorite, after all.
23. Absolutely everything that's happening here, because it's all wonderful.
24. And these tabloid newsprint tights, which are also wonderful.
25. Handy rolls of duct tape doubling as chunky bracelets, because you never know when you'll need to tape someone to a lamppost (or wrap up a package, I suppose).
26. This take on industrial garment shredder chic.
27. And this bag of penny sweets, including gummy fried eggs which are my favorite.
28. But I would trade in a full bag of gummi fried eggs for this amazing bright pink furry bodysuit. Who wouldn't?
