GILES | RESORT 2013

Giles’ resort 2013 collection reflected an appreciation of past. From grey, degrading classical statues to vibrant pop art style drawings, Giles employed these bold influences to create a poignant and yet fun resort collection.

A fluid progression was seen within this collection, starting with realistic images of marble statues of past glories that were printed onto elegant dresses. Giles mirrored the drapes and folds of the statues onto his own garments which created an optical illusion of a dress within a dress. Never one to stay too safe, the designer then replaced missing heads with his own drawings, using bright colours to leap out of the darker background. Pop art style faces were added to the bodies of statues and these female characters with bright lips and goggles were then sized down to make an abstract print for his 60s style garments.

Alongside these eccentric prints, Giles was somehow able to combine this with sophistication in the form of demure and ladylike designs. Using pastel colours, he constructed long A-line skirts and coats as well as trouser suits with cute cropped jackets. Another dimension was then added with sequined tops that provided depth to the more refined outfits of the resort collection.

Giles succeeded in capturing classical elements with his usual witty execution, offering a resort collection that acted as homage to past eras. His ability to combine so many techniques and textures is demonstrated again and yet, as always, it never looks over-complicated.

- Kelsey Traynor