reaches more people that can only be a good thing,” Ed says, noting
us to remove ourselves from it. It’s not to stop being too engaged
how it’s the hierarchy and self-importance of show-goers that pisses
with them, but just about presenting something that’s different and
them off. “Ben has had emails from people literally seconds before the
something that felt closer to that moment in time,” Ben says. As for
show starts saying, ‘I’m not sat in the front row and obviously I don’t
the anti-nature element, it’s a far more divisive story. “I hate nature at
mind because I’m not that way, but my job…’ And Ben has had to go
the best of times, and I especially hate it throughout the summer. I like
out just before the fucking show just to move her to the seat in front of
artifice. I like cultivation. Nature is natural,” Ed says, a slight hiss in his
herself. God, get a grip. We’ve got other things to do.”
voice. “If the world ends tomorrow, I couldn’t be more delighted, and
Ed and Ben are as self-critical when it comes to their shows as they
people thinking that they can save the world is an aspect of the human
are about their collections, and while last season they could barely
being’s self-obsession.” If it’s not what you expected from a man who’s
talk about autumn/winter 13 out of sheer hatred (the collection
meant to love My Little Pony, Mary Berry, girly birthday parties and all
received unanimously praising reviews), it seems spring/summer 14
that glitters, it’s because the brilliance of Meadham Kirchhoff lies in
was a mending experience. “Well, I think it helped that I was a bit less
their divergence.
depressed for a minute,” Ed pauses. “Literally a minute,” he laughs.
If the obscurity, pessimism and decadence weren’t enough of a contrast,
Born out of a visit to the V&A’s David Bowie exhibition, the collection
you’ll also find in their convoluted minds a devotion to traditional and
drew on the contrasting aesthetics between the artist’s Ziggy Stardust
perhaps slightly twee British institutions such as Fortnum & Mason and
and Thin White Duke personas – orange wigs in tow – remixed regally
Penhaligon’s, with whom the duo has a longstanding collaboration. In
with gilded Elizabethan opulence, which also saw the introduction of
March, the perfumery is launching Meadham Kirchhoff’s first fragrance
masses of black-work embroidery to the world of Meadham Kirchhoff.
called Tra La La, because it’s “flippant” and avoids the cliché of traditional
(This of course only being one of the world’s most difficult crafts to
perfume names. It smells like “the richest, most ostentatious person in
master.) It’s this kind of superior abundance, which has given their work
the world,” Ed explains. “I wanted it to smell like red velvet and for me
the label of ‘un-commercial’. “I don’t believe that’s true. Everybody’s
it does,” he continues, listing Schiaparelli’s Shocking and Penhaligon’s
got it into their heads that what we do is un-commercial, yet we have
pervasive evergreen Hammam Bouquet as points of reference. “What
just done a Topshop collaboration that sold out within the morning,”
you see here is a year’s worth of Ed’s perfumes,” Ben smirks and points
Ed says.
at a large tray of some thirty empty flacons on a studio cutting table.
If spring/summer 14 seemed like one of the most harmonious Meadham
“I don’t think anything should be used in moderate ways,” Ed quips.
Kirchhoff shows to date, it wasn’t all because of Ed’s good spirits. With
“Princess Julia [i-D’s Culture Correspondent] has always talked about
its anti-minimalist disposition in the garments themselves and the anti-
Trojan [the late artist] being a perfume terrorist, and that’s really how
nature surroundings of the desolate, ash-covered garden set, it unified
I’ve always felt about myself. The most impressive people I’ve ever met,
two of the duo’s, in this day and age, most controversial values. “Trash
I smelled them before I saw them.”
“We’ve had emails from editors literally seconds before the show starts saying, ‘I’m not sat in the front row. Obviously I don’t mind because I’m not that way, but my job…’ So we have to go out just before the fucking show starts to move them to the seat in front of themselves. God, get a grip. We’ve got other things to do!” EDWARD MEADHAM 224 i-D MAGAZINE
DONNIKA ANDERSON, 19 Why do you love Meadham Kirchhoff? A lot of designers take their clothes very seriously but Meadham Kirchhoff is so fun and crazy. How does Meadham Kirchhoff capture the spirit of future fashion? They are daring and experimental, which helps them lead fashion.
culture. It’s nice and fun and all that, but I think it was important for
ISOBEL WHALLEY PAYNE, 16 Why do you love Meadham Kirchhoff? I love how in each collection they’re able to capture a childlike quality, in a way no other designer can. For me, it’s nostalgic. How does Meadham Kirchhoff capture the spirit of future fashion? Each season they surprise. I think it’s the spirit of youth.
it’s broadened. Fashion is one of the aspects of culture, and if culture
SUKI SOU, 25 Why do you love Meadham Kirchhoff? Because it’s so whimsical. Extravaganza! How does Meadham Kirchhoff capture the spirit of future fashion? It captures the romantic side of couture and yet is so modern and sinister. Yeah!
seems to have completely overtaken fashion and subculture and youth
ISABELLA PARTRIDGE, 19 Why do you love Meadham Kirchhoff? The versatility of their clothes, they work on the catwalk and the highstreet.
comes to it is still important in the way that it was, but I just think now
i-D MAGAZINE 225