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“We do not to have a signature but rather a handwriting. We like to tell stories in different ways.” This is how Meadham Kirchhoff have described their style. That the French-English designer duo do things their own way might just be their most defining trait. Launching their fashion label in 2006 as part of Fashion East, Meadham Kirchhoff has many of the favoured characteristics of the new generation of London fashion designers. Both graduates from Central Saint Martins, their studio tucked away in the fashion microcosm of Dalston, Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff have been at the forefront of the fluorescent fashion revolution of the past few seasons.
Aesthetically reminiscent of American blogger Tavi Gevinson of The Style Rookie, a personal friend of Meadham, the Meadham Kirchhoff layered, Tumblr-like concept – a mélange of 90s teen imagery and a healthy dose of Courtney Love speaks of a charming, intelligent introversion. Ever-so-hard to pigeonhole, Meadham Kirchhoff artfully blend this with immaculately trimmed French lace, casual and honest low-brow pop-cultural references and a powerful feminist undercurrent.
This season, just when London’s front row audience thought they would be attending a brightly hued and dramatically staged runway performance exploring another female archetypal figure – the morale that girls should not be afraid of adorning themselves in bows if they feel so inclined – the editors were met with a stripped back presentation, monochrome and black patent ruffles.
The more severe look that dominated the Helter Skelter Autumn-Winter 2013 show stands in stark contrast to the softness and pastel femininity of the last Rococo-inspired collection. The uncomfortable element – ever-present in Meadham Kirchhoff’s work – usually amplified by eerie or surreal soundtracks– seemed to have gone into overdrive.
Perhaps had they noticed the normalisation of neon – what was once so deliberately hard on the eyes has made its way into Topshop – a new form of unthinkably pretty contrasted with grotesque must hence be explored. Nevertheless, Helter Skelter was also a revisit of old favourites from previous collections – everything they are best at – only more refined, presented with clean precision.
As Meadham Kirchhoff have been receiving increased attention over the past few years and also become a London Fashion Week favourite, their offerings have also broadened. They have created affordable collections for Topshop – a long time sponsor through the NewGen scheme, the Secret Store flower shop with dip-painted flowerpots also in Topshop and most recently a menswear label in its second season. For being fundamentally anti-establishment right down to a their closed-off existence and general world scepticism, Meadham Kirchhoff have stepped much further into the fashion spotlight than ever before. One could question if their countercultural, idiosyncratic and introspective approach will survive popularity.
Lately their cult following of ombré-haired fashion students have not been the only ones attracted to elements of the Meadham Kirchhoff awkward, romantic beauty – the aesthetic and personal taste that permeates everything they do might be about to be normalised as it trickles down to the high street – its inspirations reinterpreted everywhere, now a sort of common zeitgeist. A necessity perhaps and a process partially fuelled by Meadham Kirchhoff themselves – it remains to be seen what is next from the involuntary fashion insiders. When personal style and taste is so much the brand, is the only way forward to change?
by Elisabeth Krohn
Images: Frame Noir