Orschel-Read

Mourning for Orlando
by Stefán Orschel-Read
A menswear collection for Autumn/Winter 2008 inspired by Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, Quentin Crisp and the Belle Epoque.
“He, for there could be no doubt about his sex, though the fashions of the time did something to disguise it…”
This collection captures theories discussed in the novel:
1. There is no divide between male and female. There are differences, but many more similarities.
“Different though the sexes are, they intermix. In every human being a vacillation from one sex to the other takes place, and often it is only the clothes that keep the male or female likeness, while underneath the sex is the very opposite of what it is above.”
2. The repressed wish for an unlimited lifespan, limits our appreciation to experience life carpe diem.
“Do not fade. Do not wither. Do not grow old.”
3. Orlando represents England’s struggle to modernise. It took great Queens to restructure our country.
“Change is fast and hard for all people.”
These issues are explored through a collection rooted in classical tailoring, utilising couture liberty fabrics. The cherry blossom motif of the collection is represented in a repeat print on silks used to line the pieces. The tones of black and lilac are shown in contemporary lightweight tweeds. The ever-powerful allure of wealth is further expounded with items made entirely of hair, beading, fur and silk. Accessories are small but definite and luxurious. The hair is grand with its shape coming from flowers, beetles and coral reefs. The makeup is an investigation into the ghosts of Japanese aristocrats; pale, powdery and almost featureless. The shoes are steep and elegant, but strong, incorporating the tweeds from the clothing. The overall silhouette grows, from a very wearable subtle triangular form, through to a sharply nipped-in formal look and onto grand show pieces that push at hegemonic boundaries, just as Virginia Woolf’s book did in 1928.