For Autumn / Winter 2013, design duo Peachoo+Krejberg looked back to the theme of textural interplay that marked their Spring / Summer 2013 collection. However, instead of juxtaposing lace and leather as they did last season, this season the twosome explored pairings of wool, leather, fur and rich embellishment, sending an ultra modern Celtic warrior princess down the runway with a collection that played on the colours of night, dawn and dusky twilight.
Starting with inky black-zippered funnel neck jackets, asymmetric-hemmed dresses and sleeveless tunics, the duo’s heroine emerged as if from the night complete with tousled hair, natural make-up and delicate rosy cheeks. Dark-as-midnight shadows appeared across sleeves, on blazers and jackets, on short gilets over dresses and in the form of corsets, as the designers turned to the sparing use of leather, pony and fur to bring depth and texture to their pieces. Sometimes paired with black leather leggings and cigarette pants, and often shown with long striking leather gloves, the looks promised plenty of wearability for the urban warrior.
Soft dusky gray and pinky beige knits followed, still maintaining plenty of natural texture with their large, almost spider web-like open weave. Here the zippered, asymmetric neckline seen on earlier tailored pieces became draped as knits were swept up over the shoulders and into a hood. Meanwhile, black and cognac-coloured leather bustiers and large breastplate-like belts lent each knitted look a sense of fluidity.
However, it was the pair’s play on appliqué that brought the most interest to the runway, starting with the emergence of a sheer black dress, elevated with the application of a simple deconstructed cluster of petal designs. From there, our princess appeared to dip her legs into pool after pool of rich black stones, pieces of copper and shards of gun metal as the final slew of looks played with richly embellished one-tone leggings paired with sleeveless matte sequin tops, and split-front sequin gowns cinched with leather corsets. The result sat on the knife-edge between prettiness and edginess. All the designers’ fearlessly beautiful warrior princess needed? A sheath of arrows.
Rachel Huber