Hurts like a mthrfkr – Injury inspired fashion.
December 30th, 2009 | M | Fashion | 10 Comments »
KTZ Brace Shoes SS10 – coming soon to Bitchingandjunkfood
KTZ Leg Brace Shoes SS10 - coming soon Bitchingandjunkfood
In my mind it all started with KTZ’s SS10 collection, that’s what sparked my imagination and drew my attention to a trend that I’m now seeing repeated everywhere. I’ve been meaning to blog this for ages but it’s taken the comfortably numb Christmas coma enable the allocation of some time to blog it – Injuries(not coma style though more acute pain, injuries, seeping wounds and lost limbs). We’ve bought the above styles for bitching – I’ve a black pair on order and I’m sure they’re going to help me walk better. This trend is particularly ironic in an industry that champions perfection and generally struggles with disability.
The Bandage Dress, like a any word vocalised repeatedly, has almost lost its meaning. This cult item was originally designed by Herve Leger who walking through his factory decided to make a dress from all the left-over strips of fabric on the floor. Christohper Kane lead the re-emergence of the trend with his graduate collection in 2006 – this deserves an entire post of its own, the fashion industry moves so fast we knock collections back tequila style rather than savoring like a full bodied red wine.
Christopher Kane's Graduate Collection
Over the last few seasons bandages have made their way onto legs and shoes with the subculture of medical fetish Fashion becoming a huge source of inspiration on catwalks worldwide. We’re already bound, gimp-masked and gagged to the hilt so now is fashion’s turn to play doctors and nurses.
Stolen Girlfriends Club Bandage Leggings on Kingdom of Style
Posture Collar as seen on Dirty Flaws
London College of Fashion Graduate Una Burke
Una Burke focussed her graduate collection on human gestures associated with the cause, physical and psychological effect and the healing stages of human trauma. As with the KTZ shoes, many of the pieces were reminiscent of prosthetics.
I’m going back on my word – I banned anyone from writing about Gaga on the blog but it would be just plain ignorant to neglect the influence she and her team are having on fashion – the Lady and her House have been championing injuries for months,Papparazzi and the crutches, the blood and guts at the MTV awards…..Another iconic outift was the bandage number originally worn by Mila Jovoick the Fifth Element – Designed by Jean Paul Gaultier and this look made a reappearance in Lady Gaga’s most recent video Bad Romance designed by Alex Noble, styled by Nicola Formichetti.
Mila Jovovich designed by Jean Paul Gaultier
Alex Noble for Lady Gaga
Gaga MTV Awards
Bandaged and braced looks by Rachel Freire below
Rachel Freire High Vis braced legs
London based fashion designer BrookeRoberts moonlights as a radiographer(slightly more glamorous than waitressing) and used brain scans to inspire her prints and casts of metal plates used in surgery as fringing for her SS10 collection.
Word of warning – trend not to be taken too literally especially by the elderly.
Covering up scars? Surgery gets scary, not just referring to the clothes.
When I’m feeling low I always turn to fashion for my fix and I can safely say it’s stronger then Neurofen ultra(although Codeine and Paracetemol tabs are pretty high on my scale, vodka and gin higher still). Nice things make me feel better. I guess this is fashion therapy in it’s most obvious form, bandges and braces to bolster not only the physical but the emotional too. I’m not a fetishist but I think it’s hot and I’m more than happy to play patient for the next few seasons. Now open your mouth say aaahhhh.
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Major case of the wants for those shoes. Fingers crossed I have the money when they come instore!
jenn.x
They’re definately a cost per wear analysis item but they were just too amazing to pass up!
Ha ha, Open your mouth and say Ahhh, excellent post! And beautiful boots!
you’ve seen Gwendolyn Huskens graduate shoe collection rite? (http://twenty1f.com/medic-esthetic/) gahhhh! anyway sooooo excited abt the coming of this shoe and really really have no other option but to be able to afford it.
I’m going to have to blog these too, was searching all over for the picture as was going to include it in the post but couldn’t rember who they were by – too on the same page!
Do women actually want to wear these shoes and boots? They look like leg-braces (calipers) to me, so why do you want to wear them?
well yes, this lady has tried them on and they’re really comfortable so will be wearing them. Yes they do look like leg braces but so did gladiator sandals. They’re actually really flattering. I just really appreciate the imagination that has gone into creating them.
Oh my those Leger dresses and the brace shoes are must haves ! Sometimes things that look best are painful to wear but what the heck. Won’t hurt if you sometimes let beauty take over comfort.
The shoes are actually really comfortable to wear. Not sure if I could go through the pain of the diet required to look good in the Leger though.
said shoes have been worn at fashion week and can firmly be put into the magic garments category – the clothing with super-powers which walk you past any kind of security without as much as a sideways look at your invitation.