Come as you are.
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When something spectacular goes off sometimes it takes a while for the dust to settle. When Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff presented their SS13 menswear collection as part of the inaugural ‘London Collections: Men’ in June much oo’ing and ahh’ing ensued, not least from i-D online (see here). Now nearly a month on from the main event, we’re taking a breath and reliving what was one of the undisputed highlights of London’s menswear schedule. Accompanied by a candid short film from Sharna Osborne that encapsulates the emotion and atmosphere of occasion, Harley Weir, i-D pal, photographer and loyal member of the MK fan club, shares her photos and reflects on Meadham mania.
“I first fell in love with Meadham Kirchhoff years ago. With their eclectic mess of colours and attention to detail, they make what I have dreamt about wearing since primary school. I haven’t taken my eyes off them since then and there SS13 menswear presentation was 100% potent Meadham extract. The set looked as if a pre-pubescent Kurt Cobain had hosted a slumber party the night before, old porno mags, empty pizza boxes and Pepto-Bismol scattered among wilted pink petals. The detail was immense, clips played on an old TV set (I’m sure I saw some of The NeverEnding Story), even the air was toxic with the smell of cheap perfume. The music was all of your secret favourites, The Smiths, Chris Issak, Sinead O’Connor… It immediately reminded me of my own room, not just when I was small but a romanticised version of how it is now. I think that’s what really always stood out for me with Meadham Kirchhoff, we all get it. I’m pretty sure everyone can relate to the carefree, careless nature of their youth that is set out in full glory here. And even though everything seems to be a fairytale, Meadham Kirchhoff are more real than they know. This wasn’t your sleek minimalist show filled with vacant pretty boys that are a faraway fantasy from anything we can really aspire to be, the models here had a gritty realness and an abundance of personality in their body language – as they were languishing across the Disney bed sheets – to their hair, the piercings, the tattoos… Everyone owned a piece of this show and I could hear the talk around the room, people were reminiscing and gushing and all completely caught up in the emotion they had laid out for us and it was so nice!”
Photography: Harley Weir
Film: Sharna Osborne
