IA London - Bethlem Fashion Hospital for the Stylishly Deranged by Amy Deller - Fashion Journalism at Central Saint Martins
Lunacy was in the seams. Lunacy was portrayed by models. Lunacy was pretty much everywhere.
Stepping in from the Storm Dennis-ridden streets of Holborn into the white-washed walls of Victoria House was like walking into a different moment in time. Teleporting back to the 13th century was on the agenda, where IA London took their FW20 theme of Bedlam and ran with it.
The avant-garde brand founded by Cambridge-based Ira Iceberg in 2017 and winner of Fashion Scout’s SS20 ‘One to Watch’ Award took their art-based pieces off the runway and straight to the asylum. ‘The creative industry seems to be a breeding ground for mental health issues’, said Warren Reilly, catwalk and presentation assistant at IA London and Textiles and Practice graduate, who took part in both the backstage styling of the show, ‘it was extremely important for me to have been part of an event which highlighted the taboos surrounding mental health’.
Bedlam was a pinpoint of London tourism since its opening in the 13th century until it was torn down in 1815. Alongside the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey came the patients of the Bethlem Royal Hospital.
Tourists watched the mentally institutionalised patients as a form of entertainment as if they were fishes in a bowl. Iceberg reintroduced this with a 21st-century twist, as a form of enlightenment and awareness: ‘it seems natural for me to be inspired by tradition and to ruin or sabotage it in some way’, explained Reilly, who recently graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University.
‘Leaving London and studying in the heart of the northern power-house allowed me to gain a new perspective outside of the ‘bubble' which we Londoner’s become too accustomed too. It allowed me to explore my own identity with freedom in every aspect, my sexuality, my daily routine, my wardrobe habits and this gave me the confidence to truly embrace who I am and understand what it means to be a young adult in the 21st century. Manchester was a fantastic place to be a student’, he said when reflecting upon his time as a student.
‘Ira’s intentions within the IA London brand was to reflect these horrific scenes onto modern-day society to voice her concerns regarding the obvious discrimination and prejudice that those with mental health issues still face’ said Reilly, who immersed himself in the interactive authenticity as ‘doctor number 2’ during the presentation. ‘The concept was initially established to commemorate 10 years since the tragic death of Alexander McQueen’.
It is impossible to forget the impact of McQueen upon British fashion and the industry in full. Specifically, in his SS01 show: ‘Voss’, the theme of mental health was largely focused upon. With a mirrored glass cube decked out as an asylum cell came a thought-provoking, history-defining show, where Erin O’Connor tore apart her shell-encrusted dress and models clasped the glass walls with expressions of terror. The most memorable moment came in the finale, where a naked lady could be seen surrounded embroiled in tubes and inhaling from a gas mask.
Clearly taking notes from McQueen, the presentation formulated a visual experience for visitors. Models were rotating on chairs (something adopted by Bedlam to draw in their 96,000 annual visitors) and widely cuffed sleeves were swiped in front of the intrigued faces of guests. Treated by doctors with plasters across eyes and lying on the floor screaming, a new type of catwalk was introduced.
The presentation was divided into five parts as if it were a play with different acts. The ending was the most memorable (Iceberg took notes from McQueen on adopting a dramatic ending). All models were gathered in the centre of the room and wrapped in sheets of plastic as if they were pieces of furniture about to move house.
Visually, success arose thick and fast through the entirely accurate hair and make-up. The keyword to describe this? Dishevelled. Hair (styled by Toni + Guy) screamed volume and eccentricity, where an extreme bedhead was brought to life. The knotted, robust locks were complimented by the white-washing makeup, giving the models a ghost-like quality. Yellow eyeshadow was smudged across the eyes, depicting sleepless nights and general insanity.
It was an experience that was hard to criticise. A contemporary take on history. Definitely, something the audience won’t be able to erase from their minds for a long time.
‘I felt that the show perfectly emulated the dark side of society which we often choose to ignore’, Reilly explained.
As I walked back onto the streets of Holborn, I wondered: ‘is fashion deranged?’. Or perhaps, in the words of Reilly, it is ‘graceful but disturbing’.
Contact Amy Deller - a.deller0320191@arts.ac.uk