Gothic...hidden vices and perversions behind the veneer of virtue

Only the likes of Prada would have Gary Oldman reprise a role that so eloquently emulated that of his legendary Dracula, to then be displayed on a catwalk. For a man who strangely appears to never age, along with the armour of all those enviously villainous roles he so proudly bears, it seems there was no one better to be suited up in such Gothic elegance. With the severe outline of an astrakahn-collared coat creating that harsh silhouette, he strode across the room adorned in glasses with such a familiar frame, their red hue matching that of the eyes of the vampire that won him the Saturn  Award for Best Actor. 

In the past year, the enigmatic nature of the Gothic has been a great source of inspiration for many in the fashion industry. It has allowed them to embrace theatrics within their RTW collections, making costume more acceptable and practical rather than labeling it as a rare indulgence. Christian Dior has long since favoured doll like features on their models, creating porcelain faces to accompany their designs. In their Fall/Winter 2011 collection, it seems they chose to adhere to the mysterious and chilling nature of child's dolls. We saw bedraggled ringlets fall across sinisterly perfect complexions, with only a darkened lip to hint at signs of life and lust. Emilio Pucci also incorporated intricately embroidered skulls with decadent crosses emblazoned across the models' chests in their latest designs. These contrasted with the delicate fabrics used, creating an almost unsettling but alluring tone of such fragile innocence bearing embellishments with such dark connotations. This infatuation with the Gothic was even enough to have Carine Roitfeld host a vampire ball to celebrate Paris Fashion Week in October. All guests were able to hide behind elaborately constructed guises and could, for one night only, shamelessly nurture their darker sides.