Curvy models and Jia Zhang of the English National Ballet with Pam Hogg at her AW13 show
If you had happened to walk past the Freemason’s Hall in Covent Garden last Saturday night, you might have assumed that the large, restless and excited crowd were waiting to see the rare appearance of a famous rock band. And you might not have been far wrong; if you’re going to see a music icon at fashion week, it’s probably going to be at the Pam Hogg show. The front row last season was graced by both Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream) and Nick Cave, who was joined by his wife, model Susie Bick, and this season Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes sat alongside actress Jaime Winston and the Dazed and Confused founders, journalist Jefferson Hack and photographer and All Walks collaborator Rankin.
The coolest ticket in town and the most anticipated show of the ‘off-schedule’, Hogg’s aesthetic is fashion for the interminably fearless. In a convention-busting spectacular, show-goers were treated to full frontal nudity, experimental ballet, all the PVC your heart could desire and, most excitingly, some of the curviest catwalkers seen at London Fashion Week. Though we are always pleased to see non-standard size models on the catwalk, what made this show so exciting is that it didn’t feel like a gimmick, Hogg didn’t use all curvy models - which makes a bold statement but reinforces a sense of ‘otherness’ - rather, she used a range of sizes, shapes, gender and ethnicity to bring her collection to life:
“Its a common misconception that my pieces only work on a skinny frame. In the eighties, I’d have two girls walk in the same outfit side by side, one curvy, one skinny. I see beauty in both. Some of my designs look best on the skinny, flat-chested girls and others on the voluptuous figure. Each shape and size brings an interesting element. With the dancers I was able to see my shapes in motion, something I’ve always dreamed of.” - Pam Hogg
One of the barriers to changing attitudes about diversity in fashion is that, because people have rarely seen what diverse high fashion looks like, they aren’t sure whether the two can coexist. What is so wonderful about Hogg’s show is that there is no question as to whether it’s fashion, and conceptual fashion at that; the diversity of the models is an aside, a given, as it should be. Hogg tells us “I was lucky to get larger models to fit some of my pieces this time, as sadly they’re still being told to diet,” but it is with her contribution to the growing movement toward a diverse fashion future which means that we, as an industry, are closer to the day when this issue becomes one that we have left in our past.
***
Post by Charlotte Gush
***
 |
Charlotte Gush is a fashion writer and editor, working at London College of Fashion as Web Coordinator and as the Online Editor for All Walks.
She initially joined All Walks on a 6 month internship as a social media, marketing and production intern. Charlotte has a website CAVACOMA.com and can be found on Twitter @CavaCharlotte |