My first impression upon entering Gary Graham’s Tribeca boutique on Wednesday evening was that I’d somehow wound up in a gritty, smoke-filled backstage area. My second impression, or delusion, was that there were seven 1975 Keith Richards hanging out on the winding, grey runway, swaying slightly to Bowie’s voice with completely blasé expressions on their pretty faces. Then I found my glasses.
I was in fact not backstage, and sadly Keith Richards wasn’t modeling that evening (jet-black, unkempt wigs worn by each model had created the illusion though). The setting was intentionally raw and dark, and did not spare onlookers a glimpse of the construction that goes into the production of a fashion show. Exposed lights, cables and ladders comprised the backdrop, and it was against this milieu that Graham presented a collection that was largely based on Joseph Campbell’s mythology in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. It would be difficult, however, to miss the pronounced punk-rocker references, and I looked on happily as the Keith Richards incarnations were joined by a few Joan Jetts and Patti Smiths.
Garments ranged from an alpaca vest that hung in folds from the model’s shoulders to batik-print leggings and floor-length sheer skirts. Primary-colored Converse, paper-clip necklaces, mismatched gym socks and bandannas added to the aesthetic of the collection, which courted punk and grunge but maintained a high degree of finish and cool.
Prints were certainly a highlight, including a warm-colored digital-pattern reminiscent of Navajo woven designs that appeared on coats, vests, skirts, and leggings. While the term “layered look” has become trite in the annals of fashion reviews, it would be silly to deny that one of the assets of a Gary Graham garment is its versatility when paired with other items. The experts backstage took advantage of this and re-styled several looks as the models were presented in rotation. Thus, the same tailored jacket that rounded off an ensemble of jodhpur-like trousers and stylish black pumps reappeared atop the funky mish-mash of a patterned blanket dress and multi-colored leggings. And it worked in both instances.
Graham is known for his ability to modernize the historical without creating the lineup for a costume drama. Indeed, his work has often been described as quite sober, though this most recent collection certainly incorporates elements of the whimsical and nonchalant. — Text by Eugenie Dalland. Photos by Rhiannon Marino. More photos after the jump.
