Flanked by uniformed escorts, her eyes shielded by aviator shades, French ballet star Marie-Agnès Gillot strode into the Grand Temple of Freemasons Hall in a handsome officer’s coat and took a seat on the central throne as the pipe organ rumbled behind her.
The gesture sent a clear message — women are in charge — and cued a powerful show from Gareth Pugh, his fall collection hinged on demonstrative, strong-shouldered tailoring with tinges of Thierry Mugler and Claude Montana.
It’s been a while since skirt suits stalked a European runway, and Pugh’s were streamlined and compelling, whether in camel, prince of wales check or an electric blue wool covered with embroidered stars.
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Flaring pants were another key element in this ode to Eighties power dressing. They anchored a bounty of terrific coats: mannish and military ones with big gold buttons; cozy wrap numbers with built-in shawls; and dramatically flaring swing styles with cape effects. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more fierce shearling coat than Pugh’s with their pinched waists and face-framing collars.
Runway gimmicks included Hannibal Lecter masks and briefcases handcuffed to wrists, adding a disquieting frisson to what Pugh called an exploration of “the visual codes of raw female ambition.”