Reinventing old Hollywood with Mimi Wade AW18

[H]ollywood is in Mimi Wade’s blood, and the inherited glamour oozes into her collection with ease. As most of Mimi Wade’s collections are, AW18 is inspired by ‘Granny Pammy’, aka Pamela Curran Mimi Wade’s notorious Hollywood grandmother. But for Autumn Winter 2018, the references are playful and tongue-in-cheek, drawing inspiration from Dario Argento’s 1977 thriller masterpiece, Suspiria, Mimi created candy-coloured hallucinogenic psychedelic palette. The film’s musical score also brought influence to the collection – “the marriage of prog-rock and horror was one made in horror-film heaven”, the brand explains – like the collection’s delicately crafted paradoxical designs.

Mesmerising movies weren’t the only major influence on Mimi Wade’s vision, literature was just as big an inspo. With prints screaming “OPEN BOOK!” and “EASY TO READ”, the emphasis was put on the power of words. Graphics were screen-printed using CMYK after finding the power of pulp fiction: female-centred gothic romances and their iconic covers are subverted in Mimi’s vibrant designs. Daphne Du Maurier too brought revelation to her creations through her seminal 1938 book, Rebecca: “lumbered into the gothic genre despite…not being in the least bit romantic…a label thrust on her purely based on gender, not literary substance”.

Through film, literature and music, Mimi Wade’s collection evoked incredible influences and brought something fresh in her incredible designs: the delicately lace trimmed busts brought romanticism to her boldly kitsch prints. Through the seasonal collaboration with jeweller Vicki Sarge, their hand-sewn chains with Swarovski crystals and pearl flowers emblazoned onto chunky velvet headbands featured cascading veils that boldly shine against the darkened sky backdrop. Leather and lace, tailored and raw edges, “baby-doll meets Boudicca”, Mimi Wade’s AW18 is all about subverting expectations and empowering femininity: just what the fashion season and our world needs, now and always.

Click through the gallery below to peek behind the scenes at Mimi Wade AW18 and follow Jack Tyler on Instagram here.