PPQ Fall 2014: A 60s Vibe that’s More Austin Powers than James Bond (Runway Review)

The Scene: The PPQ show at the Sanderson Hotel had a 60s, Austin Powers vibe that was hard to take too seriously. But then, when has PPQ ever taken themselves too seriously? The collection was titled Rockabella, which suggests a rockabilly vibe that I just didn’t get from the presentation.

The Inspiration: The show notes read that the collection was “an English love story that will trance you into a cocktail or two” and that the 2014 girl is “pale and very significant.”

The Look: I liken this collection to Austin Powers instead of the more serious (and stylish) James Bond because of the marabou trim. Seriously, it was everywhere. On cuffs, on collars and on furry open-toed booties. There were a few different themes sidling down the runway, including a section of black PVC suiting, a good bit of white satin with 70s or 80s silhouettes and quite a few one-off pieces like a skintight full-length sheer white lace bodysuit over a black bustier that was very Debbie Gibson. A white satin romper was one of only a few pieces that pulled off a bit of elegance.

The Beauty: There was a golden age of Hollywood, just-got-out-of-the-convertible sense to the bouffant-ish faux bobs with black scarves wrapped around the head, under the chin and then around the neck. The look was emphasized by the big black sunglasses worn by half the girls. Makeup involved heavy black eyeliner (Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner to be exact) and beyond dramatic lashes with pale lips. 

The Takeaway: The collection felt disjointed in many ways, as it was hard to discern a clear theme or pick up on a consistent thread. It was difficult to suss out the wearable pieces because you had to imagine how a cool London girl would style gold lame pants instead of how they were styled on the runway (with a Working Girl type white satin blouse). PPQ is always a hot show (and party) at London Fashion Week, but I can’t be the only one beginning to question why. Perhaps it has more to do with the party than the show.

All images: IMAXtree