Spreading his wings: Pugh creates living folklore in fashion ritual

08 : 09 : 2014 NYFW : Gareth Pugh : Folklore

New York – For his first New York Fashion Week event, designer Gareth Pugh staged a multimedia spectacle that paid homage to British folklore and fantasy.

Gareth Pugh S/S15, New York Fashion Week Gareth Pugh featured at Lexus Design Disrupted. Photographer: Matteo Prandoni/BFAnyc.com
Gareth Pugh S/S15, New York Fashion Week Gareth Pugh featured at Lexus Design Disrupted. Photographer: Matteo Prandoni/BFAnyc.com
Gareth Pugh S/S15, New York Fashion Week Gareth Pugh featured at Lexus Design Disrupted. Photographer: Matteo Prandoni/BFAnyc.com
Gareth Pugh featured at Lexus Design Disrupted. Photographer: Matteo Prandoni/BFAnyc.com Gareth Pugh featured at Lexus Design Disrupted. Photographer: Matteo Prandoni/BFAnyc.com
Gareth Pugh featured at Lexus Design Disrupted. Photographer: Matteo Prandoni/BFAnyc.com Gareth Pugh featured at Lexus Design Disrupted. Photographer: Matteo Prandoni/BFAnyc.com

The Lexus Design Disrupted event, billed as a ‘live immersive fashion experience’, took place at Pier 36 in downtown Manhattan’s Two Bridges neighbourhood, on an industrial waterfront far from the uptown glitz of the Lincoln Center.

Dancers clad in caps and futuristic undergarments writhed in front of screens projecting even more ethereal imagery. To explain, Pugh distributed a note to the crowd: ‘From the opening installation, a stylised stone circle, we travel through a Pagan anarchy, referencing the oppositional forces – black and white, positive and negative, chaos and control – that are all signatures of my work.’

Pugh closed the show with a video of a woman wearing long white robes that flared out like wings. ‘It is the final flourish that is perhaps the most profound: the image of the phoenix, a timeless icon of renewal,’ explained the note.

More designers this season are creating immersive spectacles rather than typical runway events. At a time when nearly everyone sees collections first on the internet, designers are making the most of what live events can offer by incorporating immersive, multi-sensory elements.

For more on why fantasy and myth are exerting a greater influence on popular culture, read our Neo-Tolkienism macrotrend. 

Discover More Daily Signals
Heineken transforms Seoul’s rooftops into social sanctuaries

Daily Signals

Heineken transforms Seoul’s rooftops into social sanctuaries

Heineken is transforming Seoul’s empty rooftops into vibrant social spaces as part of a new campaign combatting urban loneliness and removing barri...
Culture : Drink : Loneliness
Feeling introduces transdermal energy patch to combat daily fatigue

Daily Signals

Feeling introduces transdermal energy patch to combat daily fatigue

Manchester-based wellness brand Feeling has launched a transdermal energy patch designed to address persistent fatigue in individuals who maintain ...
Health : Wellness : Supplements
Stat: Gift cards become inflation-era solution for festive shoppers

Daily Signals

Stat: Gift cards become inflation-era solution for festive shoppers

As inflation continues to put pressure on spending, gift cards are set to dominate this year’s festive period in the US. According to Blackhaw...
Retail : Consumer Spending : Inflation
Yōjō harnesses vagus nerve technology for everyday wellbeing

Daily Signals

Yōjō harnesses vagus nerve technology for everyday wellbeing

Yōjō is a new wellness eco-system using non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS), biofeedback and human coaching to help people calm their bodie...
Health : Wellness : Technology
OpenAI launches agentic AI shopping system

Daily Signals

OpenAI launches agentic AI shopping system

ChatGPT users in America can now shop directly within conversations through OpenAI’s new Instant Checkout feature, available to Pro, Plus and Free ...
Technology : Retail : Agentic AI
Stat: The running boom is powering New York’s economy

Daily Signals

Stat: The running boom is powering New York’s economy

Running is proving to be big business for New York, according to the latest Economic Impact Study from New York Road Runners (NYRR).
Sport : Health : Running
Vacheron Constantin’s La Quête du Temps stars in Louvre exhibition

Daily Signals

Vacheron Constantin’s La Quête du Temps stars in Louvre exhibition

Luxury Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin has unveiled La Quête du Temps at the Louvre, a monumental automaton clock to celebrate the brand’s 270...
Luxury : Watches : Retail
Mandarin Oriental to open first golf and wellness resort in Dubai

Daily Signals

Mandarin Oriental to open first golf and wellness resort in Dubai

Mandarin Oriental is expanding its luxury footprint in Dubai with its first dedicated golf resort and branded residences, set to open in 2030.
Travel : Hospitality : Luxury
Stat: Medical misinformation is a growing concern for US Women

Daily Signals

Stat: Medical misinformation is a growing concern for US Women

A recent survey by Clue reveals that 82% of US women are concerned about encountering medical misinformation online, with over half (55%) reporting...
Stats : Statistic : Statistics
Netflix’s Famous Last Words signals a new era of digital legacy

Daily Signals

Netflix’s Famous Last Words signals a new era of digital legacy

Dr Jane Goodall, the renowned ethologist and conservationist passed away this week. An interview she recorded for Netflix’s new series Famous Last ...
Technology : Legacy : Longevity
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN