Victorian widow united with Latina Chola girl; two incongruous worlds were brought together in a romantic collision as Riccardo Tisci debuted his A/W 2015 collection in Paris. Tensions between eroticism and danger culminated in a fiercely stunning collection, articulated by Pat McGrath’s makeup expertise. Kiss curls laced beautifully embellished faces in his nightmarish gothic fantasy, as rebellious models stomped it out in a junkyard warehouse.

With his finger always on the pulse, Tisci took heed from popular beauty trends emerging from the street (septum piercings and slicked down hair, think FKA Twigs and RiRi) and elevated them to devastating new extremes. Backstage, Tisci boasts that his hybrid ‘Chola Victorian’ is the “boss of the gang”. This undoubted emphasis on female empowerment saluted to the newly coined ‘International Women’s day.

With each face reportedly taking 6 hours, each model received jewellery uniquely complimented to their facial features and tones, making for a personalised runway display. These looks offset structured silhouettes constructed from chiffon, lace and velvet.

Tisci’s show symbolised the changing landscape of beauty in the fashion world. Beauty isn’t beautiful enough anymore, it’s got to pack a punch.

 

Elsbeth-Alexandra Olaniran