Back in September, British duo Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff shook up London Fashion Week with a riot grrl inspired, street-cast show that had Dazed writer Susanne Madsen calling it “one of the most honest, emotionally raw and significant collections to come out of London in a long time.” Just a few short months later, and – impossible though it seems – Meadham Kirchhoff just might be no more.
According to Style.com, the provocateurs (who founded the label in 2006) will not return to LFW for AW15. Put simply: “their debts have caught up with them,” and at this point, they can’t afford to go on the way they have – their shows, known for being multi-sensory experiences, are hardly low-key. “The way the industry works, you’re driven to do all these grandiose shows, all these things that are incredibly expensive,” Kirchhoff reportedly told Style – “and then one day, the sponsorship runs out. You’re on your own.” Meanwhile, Meadham pointed to the struggle to fulfill orders for stockists: “It’s always seemed like, ‘How do we do this? How do we keep up?’”
It’s sad, but in recession-defined times, being much-loved isn’t always enough to keep afloat – see Luella Bartley’s namesake label, axed in 2009. But is it really time for the duo to take down the bloodied tampons from the tree? Not necessarily – even if they don’t put on a show, the designers may present in another way for AW15. And if the worst should happen, it’s certain that talents like these won’t go unnoticed in the industry – just look at what Bartley is up to at Marc by Marc Jacobs.
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Go behind the scenes at SS15 in the film below:
