Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Catwalk Review: Jacob Kimmie

Jacob Kimmie by Marta Spendowska
Jacob Kimmie by Marta Spendowska.

I missed the Jacob Kimmie show last season but the fabulous cream and black elegance of his sophisticated collection for A/W 2010 is still etched into my mind.

Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
LFW SS12 Jacob Kimmie by Kristina Vasiljeva
Jacob Kimmie S/S 2012 by Kristina Vasiljeva.

Jacob Kimmie‘s new collection was called Rhapsody and featured a huge number of beautifully constructed garments in signature monochrome, seek but this time with variation in the form of a grey dove print that appeared on white and black grounds to equal effect. Flocks of doves spread across skirts or down tiered chiffon dresses. Taking a brave step away from monochrome Jacob Kimmie also showcased the dove print in coy red.

Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob-Kimmie-(SS-2012)-by-Barb-Royal
Jacob Kimmie S/S 2012 by Barb Royal.

Ah, clinic chiffon. There has been an awful lot of exposed nipple action this LFW and Jacob Kimmie‘s show was no exception. High necked Victorian school marm blouses with slouchy puff sleeves were given the sheer treatment – if only the women likely to afford these garments had such perky boobs. On other blouses bib like ruffles covered the bosom or a dapper rose appeared at the neck. Slim mesh panels up the sides and down the sleeves of long dresses were particularly clever. The contrast of sexiness and primness was emphasised with simple allusions to religion and virginity – a cross around the neck or a barely there netted cape.

Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie S/S 2012 by Sarah Jayne
Jacob Kimmie S/S 2012 by Sarah Jayne Morris.

The show closed with an exposed bride, who sashayed down the catwalk under a diaphanous veil with an empty birdcage swinging at her side. The black models from the show posed in a row at the end of the catwalk as Jacob gave his final bow – as ever an incongruous figure, rotund and cheery in baseball cap, casual t-shirt and shorts – the antithesis of his designs.

Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie SS 2012 review-photo by Amelia Gregory
Jacob Kimmie S/S 2012 by Sarah Jayne Morris
Jacob Kimmie S/S 2012 by Sarah Jayne Morris.

Jacob Kimmie is fast building himself a strong brand that is an alluring combination of prim and sexy. Rhapsody S/S 2012 was a beautiful and wearable collection that should appeal to buyers in spades.

Categories ,Barb Royal, ,Birdcage, ,Bride, ,Chiffon, ,doves, ,Fashion Scout, ,Grey, ,Jacob Kimmie, ,Kristina Vasiljeva, ,lfw, ,London Fashion Week, ,Marta Spendowska, ,Mesh, ,monochrome, ,Nipples, ,Panels, ,print, ,Religious, ,Rhapsody, ,Ruffles, ,S/S 2012, ,Sarah Jayne Morris, ,Sheer, ,Veil, ,Victorian

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Amelia’s Magazine | Live Review: Gazelle Twin launches debut album The Entire City at Electrowerkz

Gazelle Twin Live at Electrowerkz by Claire Kearns
Gazelle Twin live at Electrowerkz by Claire Kearns.

A peek through closed doors reveals a shrouded figure, thumb but soon rehearsals are complete and we are beckoned inside by two blue robed dancers in fencing masks with blue LED lights wrapped around their fingers. Gazelle Twin, aka Elizabeth Walling, wraps her music in an artistic veil: enhancing and enthralling with glimpses of feelings, ideas, not distracted by mere humanity.

Gazelle Twin The Entire City album launch 2011-photography by Amelia GregoryGazelle Twin The Entire City album launch 2011-photography by Amelia Gregory
Gazelle Twin, The Entire City album launch. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Back to us, she rocks back and forth behind the microphone in a shapeless ruched grey coat dress, her blue head buttressed outwards like a Geisha’s. The turn is slow as she faces the audience with black tear trails down both cheeks, eyes hidden by a lengthy black fringe. If proof were ever needed that covering up can be far sexier than letting it all hang loose then this was surely it, though I know this is not her intention.

Gazelle Twin The Entire City album launch 2011-photography by Amelia Gregory
Gazelle Twin The Entire City album launch 2011-photography by Amelia Gregory
Gazelle Twin by Andrew Thomson aka Sector 4
Gazelle Twin by Andrew Thomson aka Sector 4.

The crowd is eager and expectant, leaving just a small amount of room for the fencing dancers to twirl beneath the stage. On either side Elizabeth is flanked by keyboardists of indiscernible gender who sport chain mail headdresses. Behind her an ominous drumming duo kept synchronistic beat in black: high heads revealing no facial features, white bike lights rocking back and forth like third eyes.

Gazelle Twin The Entire City album launch 2011-photography by Amelia Gregory
Gazelle Twin The Entire City album launch 2011-photography by Amelia Gregory
Gazelle Twin The Entire City album launch 2011-photography by Amelia Gregory

As the high lighting pulses red, blue, red, Gazelle Twin sways, fingers lit up individually as they clasp and unclasp, exalting the heavens… emotions running out of her arms into the universe, transmitted via frenzied mouth movements.

Gazelle Twin The Entire City album launch 2011-photography by Amelia Gregory
YouTube Preview ImageChangelings live at Electrowerkz

It takes a mere half hour or so to plough through the whole of The Entire City, but throughout Elizabeth keeps the audience entranced, her high clear vocals an animated vortex of wonder. There are no added theatrics, no egotistical posturing, yet the effect is all encompassing: this evening I am a witness to something incredibly special. Just imagine what Gazelle Twin could achieve with the aid of a bigger budget and patronage from sympathetic designers.

Gazelle Twin The Entire City album launch 2011-photography by Amelia Gregory
Gazelle Twin The Entire City album launch 2011-photography by Amelia Gregory
Interactive album imagery by Champagne Valentine.

The Entire City is out now on Anti-Ghost Moon Ray Records. Make sure you read my review and my interview with Elizabeth Walling too.

Categories ,Andrew Thomson, ,Anti-Ghost Moon Ray Records, ,Champagne Valentine, ,Changelings, ,Claire Kearns, ,EKO London, ,Elizabeth Walling, ,Gazelle Twin, ,Geisha, ,Sector 4, ,Shroud, ,The Entire City, ,Veil

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