Lovely bones are back on the catwalk

Subject: Lovely bones are back on the catwalk Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:06 pm

Lovely bones are back on the catwalk

Bones are back on the catwalk. But the new breed of bootylicious bombshells storming the fashion world don't need to fret about the return of the ultra-waif. For designers' love affair with the skeletal is moving beyond the clothes horses to the clothes and accessories themselves.

Spine-heeled shoes stole the show at DSquared, while the last collection of the late Alexander McQueen is littered with skulls. Australian label Sass & Bide also has T-shirts with a hand-painted ribcage print.

And the famous seem equally enamoured with all things osseous-inspired.

When pregnant pop star Alicia Keys performed at the World Cup opening ceremony in South Africa, she had DSquared's spine-heeled super-platforms on her feet. She was so impressed by the shoes that she posted a picture of herself wearing the pair on Twitter for her fans.

Singer Ciara also donned the label's spine stilettos for a recent awards ceremony in the US.

At their catwalk show in Milan, DSquared design duo Dean and Dan Caten sent the models out in thigh-high boot versions. But the spine heels, which go on sale in mid-September priced at £830, will come in the more wearable ankle-strap platforms and ankle boots styles.

However, it is in the jewellery world where the cadaverous has captured most imaginations, with bones, skulls, claws and talons all acting as artistic inspirations.

“The skull, in particular, has a great history in jewellery,” says Stephen Webster, who counts Madonna as a customer and is a leader of jewellery's darker movement. “Starting with the memento mori from medieval times, this death motif keeps coming back, but it is always reinvented.”

Webster says that one of the best-sellers in his men's collection this year — which has the theme “No Regrets” — is an intricate skull ring which he describes as “like a Mexican Day of the Dead skull”, more celebratory than ghoulish.

He believes that the skull has now been welcomed into the mainstream. “It used to be very rock 'n' roll, all Keith Richards and Hells Angels. It put you out as a renegade, rebellious, almost outside the law. It doesn't stand for that any more.”

Evidence of this wider appeal comes from the success of McQueen's skull designs.

The story continues at the link.
A decent look at what's out there.

Not too thrilled about the last bit though.

But the attraction of bones and skulls extends far beyond Robert Pattinson-obsessed teenagers.

As Webster notes: “This is now glamorous gothic — it doesn't just appeal to the Marilyn Manson crowd any more.”

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