The Hollow Women

Chalayan's SS09 collection reminded me of TS Eliot's "The Hollow Men" for a few reasons.

Chalayan describes his collection saying, "It's about the speed in our lives and how it can only result in a crash." In fact, as the models were walking the runway, the soundtrack was provided by the eerie melody of wineglasses that had previously been lowered onto the catwalk being played by fingers running around the rim.

At the end of the show the wind machines got louder and the lights flashed out just as all the glasses were smashed.

"This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper."



Chalayan's piece de resistance were 5 latex molded dresses that implied the blurring of shape that comes with high velocities:



"Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion."

Ultimately Chalayan was commenting on the current social and political state, which let's be honest, seems pretty dire but could definitely be worse:

"The eyes are not here
There are no eyes here
In this valley of dying stars
In this hollow valley
This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms"