The timing of Gareth Pugh’s comeback is as bold as his designs. Pugh observes in his press notes: “Naomi Klein speaks about the idea that seemingly impossible ideas become possible in times of crisis. Right now, there are no rules. There are no limits. We are being offered an opportunity to invent the future.”
Pugh’s new season invention is entitled The Reconstruction. It takes the form of a vast portfolio of creative output contributed by a glittering ensemble cast of artists from many disciplines, with the designer’s addition of 13 typically haunting looks at its center.
The elements of what Pugh calls a “visual concept album” are shaped around his 13 looks, each of which is inspired by a song. These looks have been photographed by master image-maker Nick Knight of ShowStudio, who has also overseen the shooting of 13 short films to accompany each image and piece. These films feature a diverse cast that spans the models Maggie Maurer and Georgia Moot, the musicians Rina Sawayama and IAMDDB, the Royal Ballet principal dancer Matthew Ball, and the artist and activist Sakeema Crook. Also promised is a feature-length documentary, all of this for a collection that is not intended for sale.
Instead, Pugh and designer Melissa Mehrtens have collaborated to make a series of limited-edition jersey garments printed with imagery from The Reconstruction project, which will be sold online via a zero-waste digital platform named Hit + Run.
The article was adapted from vogue.com.