By Steven Yi
While fashion can—and should—titillate, Club XTC’s failure to do so even after employing all the typically blatant tools of arousal was indicative of the event’s mixed effort. Indeed, the polite applause was the response when a sheer black dress and the mammaries they contained marked the halfway point of the show. Applause and the whites of widened Rye Engineer eyes.
Based on the themes of Disco, Reggae, Gothic, Club Kid, and Bondage, the Club XTC (Ryerson’s third year design show) line was intended for night club concept. Unfortunately, many of the designs were as limp as the concept’s attempt at clever double entendre.
The Gothic line was especially bland. While they tried to capture and derive its spirit from the overt European pre-19th century decadence, it turned out derivative. Modernized cliches of velvet, lace and frills more akin to a casual wear for Mayflower pilgrims sitting down to a turkey dinner than vampiric Victorians.
An assembly of studded and chained dead cow skins, Bondage was just as underwhelming and painfully (hah hah…yeah, whatever) cliched. A black leather bog of straps, masks and far too conservative cuts. However, there was an intriguing hoop dress based on a bare framework of padded leather struts. Clear plastic tubing coiled around the limbs marked another Bondage design.
Still, Club XTC was a mixed effort and so the Reggae, Disco and Club Kid did display a wonderful playfulness. Although Reggae was based on the usual hot weather fabrics of light linens and cottons, there was a loose flair to the cuts. Carribean/tropical patterns and the expected traditional earthtone colours were also given an injection of life by using fabrics woven with glimmering gold, bronze and metallic threads. The only downside to Reggae were the bottom heavy black oxfords the men wore. Probably the last thing guys would want to have on in warmer climates. Why not sandals or just plain bare feet like the women?
But the Disco and Club Kid lines were easily the highlights of the XTC runway. By using plastics, sequins along with silver and gold lame these two lines would seem to have lapsed into ’70’s predictability. However, the “dated” fabric selections underwent welcome modernizations with the innovative designs and attention to accessories. A white lame skirt and open night blouse trimmed in feathers achieved a certain spice with feathered slippers. Bikini tops and bottoms were wrapped in pliable clear plastic rompers and jackets sprouting a Crayola-coloured range of curlers and patterns. And while the funny fur coats were expected, they were also worked into neon short shorts and tank tops. Perhaps it’s because disco is currently undergoing a revival and club kids are a modern phenomenon that these two themes offered the most. Simply put, the Disco and Club Kid designs worked. Ironic then, that they had the “For Play” attitude Club XTC was striving for so much.
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