Show Report
Toying with the suppressed sexuality of uniform is a British tradition, but Eley Kishimoto managed to avoid veering into the riseable Carry On Cruising territory of Air Hostess puns.
Have Eley Kishimoto had their freeview box firmly tuned to reruns of the short-lived BBC sitcom 'The High Life' for the past six months? It would appear so, as their latest collection is an inspired and inspiring take on the much-maligned garb of the trolley dolly. The collection opened with strict doubleface jersey suiting, patterned tights and domed hat reminiscent of Cardin, Courreges and most tellingly Cristobal Balenciaga's austere and minimal 1960s Air France uniforms. There was a similar sense of spare, proprietorial chic to Eley Kishimoto's own offerings, in clyclamen, navy and violet geometics, with neatly-knotted silk scarves and glinting gilt wing insignia. Some of the prints veered into tube-seat terriority in their clashing primary hues and geometrics, but given the travel theme this seems somewhat appropriate. Toying with the suppressed sexuality of uniform is a British tradition, but Eley Kishimoto managed to avoid veering into the riseable Carry On Cruising territory of Air Hostess puns. And, when their hostesses were off-duty, Kishimoto offered them a choice of refreshments: caravan-print housedresses, intarsia sweater-dress or colour-block cardigan, madam? Jet Set Masala was the title of the show, thus explaining the luridly-hued tiger and abstracted paisley prints that occasionally popped up, as well as the jewel-rich subcontinental palette. Eley Kishimoto deserve to fly high with this one.
