Gary Graham set his sights on Rhode Island for his Fall 2017 collection: the city of Warwick to exact. He was inspired by a Gothic Revival mansion there from the 1870’s, further motivated by its original owner Elizabeth Slater.
I did a bit of digging and I may have found the house here! It’s now a museum and was a wedding gift to Slater: not too shabby. It’s Victorian at its finest and that influence can absolutely be seen in the collection. A high-neck printed gown with a cape back has the perfect amount of vintage flair, while a button-front peplum waistcoat provides the perfect touch in an already statement-making look.
Though Graham isn’t huge on the red carpet, he did cast Helena Bonham Carter in a character study of sorts for the season. He dressed her in looks that embodied Slater and if she was as cool and impeccably-dressed as the iconic actress, then I need more information on her. Immediately!
Bonham Carter was also spotted in Graham’s pieces for the new Ocean’s 8 film, so his designs will be reaching a whole new set of people next year. Only a handful of the getups will qualify for the red carpet or high-fashion events taken verbatim for the runway, as most ensembles were simply modern and toughened-up takes on Victorian styling.
The assemblage’s layering techniques are exquisite. Shorts over skinnies, tops with short sleeves falling languidly over longer ones, ribbed knit socks peeking out from underneath cropped trousers, embellished tulle high necklines emerging from underneath crewnecks, utilitarian jackets paired with romantic lace-hem skirts—certainly not for the faint heart, but unbelievably beautiful.
*Images courtesy of Vogue.com.
Urban Sybaris 