The Tamesis
In a world where some believe in an “iron law” in favor of force, Colleen Allen offers an alternative view of power that pampers and protects the female body. Although the designer’s references, such as her now-iconic bustles, are often historical, she was interested in finding ways to reinvent them as soft sculptures rather than restrictive add-ons that controlled the female form. If movement is about freedom, then the flexibility of Allen’s clothes, some in thick terrycloth and metalized velvet for fall, was at the heart of their contemporary feel.
Traditionally, women are associated with the hearth and the home (interior decoration), while men are associated with the outdoors. Ellen said she had a “personal desire to have physical space around me to be creative and be able to create this protective layer throughout the process,” and she used a photo of Louise Bourgeois in her apartment as a starting point. The artist, best known for her giant metal spider sculptures, also works with fibers. Creating a veritable network of influence, Ellen created bourgeois stripes and patchwork crew necks from her father’s old button-down shirts and cut torn lace gowns that Miss Havisham would have loved.
Another type of spinning in the collection is cocooning. “There’s a lot of wrapping gestures,” Allen explains. “For me, it’s about creating space around the body, and the actual gesture of doing that around yourself creates a lot of different silhouettes, but also feels more personal.” Some of the collection’s fabrics are preconfigured, like the tops in bold persimmon and iris colors that have an almost dynamic saturation.
Then there’s the light-absorbing black. Allen’s mood board features vampires, as well as diamond-encrusted bats and a winged Icarus angel pendant/pin made by Alice Waese for the collection. The designer said she had a gothic mood, but not one that was threatening or heavy; instead, Allen said, it was more isolating and secluded. She added, “I think it has to do with silhouette; painting something black is really powerful and it was important to me to focus on this unique silhouette.” Emphasizing form, the use of black brings things back to the body, the alpha and omega of fashion.
