Louise Gray Predicts a Riot

This season the court harlequin of fashion worked with Barbie for the show, producing three adult looks inspired by the Mattel matriarch. Gray had intended to dress the doll in a different way to how we’re used to seeing her, putting her ‘in some separates and layer up her look, giving her a different way to be girly and fun.’

And Barbie didn’t know what had hit her. She wore monochrome tights splashed with the Barbie logo, a 90’s rudeboy graffiti tee sprinkled liberally with Barbie badges, and big brash rings to knock someone out with.

But although Gray was breaking Barbie boundaries in the outfits she created for the doll, she also seemed to pick up a few sartorial tips from her. Barbie was born in 1959 and Gray’s collection seemed to lean towards the style of the Swinging Sixties. A-line shift dresses dotted with mod mirrored discs, nipped Capri pants and oversized graphic earrings – the kind that any self respecting Paco Rabanne fan would have worn back in the day.

And if that sounds reasonably wearable – it was. In fact, it was very easy to see many of these pieces slipping in to one’s daily wardrobe: a great knitted cardigan made of patchwork panels of contrast weaves; a bias-cut silk dress with cut-out darts that would make a great evening statement, and even a strong clutch of pretty summer dresses that will be a treat to wear when the warmer weather comes round again.

Gray always draws the brightest and most bonkers fans to her show but this season – perhaps due in part to her huge success with the recent Topshop make up range, or her BFC sponsorship – she drew quite a few more serious faces too.

Maybe even the most minimalist of dressers could do with a few shades of Gray in their wardrobes.

Take a look at the mad make-up at Louise