Bobby Abley aw14

LCM: AW14

Bobby Abley: MAN

Catwalk Review

Topman and Fashion East’s MAN, showcases emerging British menswear talent. Having shown previously, Abley’s AW14 is his second catwalk show with this establishment.

Eerie. Uncomfortable yet enticing. Subverting Disney is a trend done before yet Abley’s take is not discriminating the evil of Disney, showing them where they should stand, in the limelight. 

The overall color palette for this collection was black and grey with hints of pink to let out the inner dark prince. Pink is often associated with Disney, but Abley has subverted the meaning of it by incorporating the slogan ‘Brains’. A print of twisting, intestine like pattern, represents grey matter and accentuates the gruesome in a cartooned manner. Walt would be proud. 

Maleficent also plays quite a key roll with inspiration, with baseball caps abstracted from her horns and prints bearing her familiar, Crow, depicted in a menacing caw like portrait, and repeated use of him swooping through barbed wire. Not even barbed wire can contain such chaos.

High neck lines with extreme draping from the scarves and hoodie necks were predominant, giving an elevated mysterious appearance, which created an imposing presence. Sharp symmetry created almost an army, or ‘Family’ like grouping which married each individual garment together in a twisted tale. Utilitarian backpacks in pink added softer notes to the obviously dark collection.

The pounding music, with a deranged theme song of Mickey Mouse, which merges into MIA’s Meds and Feds, emphasizes the 90’s American sport style. The heavy beat, although complimenting the overall aesthetic, contrasts the use of fabrics, especially those of the floating, sheer culottes and the cotton candy like sweat shirts. 

This style, even though more elaborate for the norm, would make even the kindest of souls look twice, this is for the children who grew up that preferred the Disney villains and for the adults who really understood the meaning of them.

-F-