Party of the Peculiar

from Modern Luxuria Vol 19 December 2021

Celebrating 40 years in Business: The Journey & Legacy of Era Rowles

In Celebration of a Weird & Wonderful Season

We all have our unique holiday personalities. From those who begin decorating the day after Hallowe’en to the last-minute shoppers and cold-night carolers, this time of year brings out the best and the bizarre in all of us. Inspired by company Christmas party character tropes and boisterous British pantomime, we teamed up with The Bay at Kingsway to create a visual story celebrating the gorgeous and the grotesque. In this story, juxtaposition is king; the beautiful and the macabre are one and the same.

The combination of red, black and white is associated with some of the most iconic and beloved characters of all time. From Santa Claus to Cruella De Vil, this is a colour scheme loaded with archetypes. For the true fashion lovers out there, it’s hard to associate these colours with anything other than the Alexander McQueen Fall 2009 collection, The Horn of Plenty. A history-making piece of creativity from the late designer, commenting on the tragedy of consumerism during the height of the recession. McQueen— affectionately known as the rebel of the industry—mixed print and textile, beauty and gore, while turning tradition on its head. In the spirit of Lee McQueen, we urge you to toss your tired, sequined party dress aside and storm your holiday fete in an ensemble that speaks volumes. We love a scene, and if we’ve learned anything from this season’s runway trends, an opportunity to dress boldly is not to be squandered on last year’s lifeless drape. There’s no better way to say goodbye to 2021 than with an aspirational and ambitious look.