Marques' Almeida AW14

Initial reaction: 

90s via the 70s, to the snarling sound of Patti Smith’s “Pissing in a River”.

Inspirations:

“We wanted to break loose a bit this season. I was reading about Patti Smith and the whole Chelsea Hotel vibe. It was all about the decadence of the whole loungewear vibe. The slinky and sexier aspect of the collection started with the randomness of the colour palette. I guess we felt that we could do it in our way. We actually looked at a lot of Tom Ford and Galliano references which was sort of funny because it’s so far removed from what normally we do.” – Marta Marques.

Refining their vision: 

“It’s still the same girl as our first denim look,” the duo explained backstage. Marta and Paolo have always worked within certain codes – the stonewash denim and noughties silhouettes – but unlike their design counterparts they continue to push the possibilities of their refined vision. This season it was elevated beyond our expectation with oversized furs and rich, saturated colours.

How it was worn: 

Embracing both the undone look of the 90s – think raw shredded denim and metallic velvets – but setting it off with the decadence of the 70s. Fur wrapped its away around the body, flung itself across exposed shoulders and was carried in the models' hands. Silk hung on the body in the form of lounge suits and strap dresses, whilst hair was wild – the look of a post sex/post party at the Chelsea Hotel.

Soundtrack:

“We listened to a lot of Janis Joplin, actually too much Janis Joplin!” Marta Marques cited backstage. “I think it’s because the idea was about a sort of loose woman (laughs). That might sound funny, but it was all about a kind of feeling that Joplin represented.”

Watch the show and listen to the soundtrack below.