Gareth Pugh: “Fashion Is Very Stuck In Its Ways”

British fashion designer Gareth Pugh has revealed that he’s interested in shaking up his catwalk show to give viewers a new experience. When Fashion Week rolls around in September, Gareth says he wants to create a new kind of presentation that pushes boundaries and does something different. He explained that he wants to encourage change and believes fashion needs to embrace new things:

”There’s a point at which old archetypes need to change. Fashion is very stuck in its ways, and I wanted to present something that would make people think, and maybe move the needle a bit.”

The designer understands that he has to see his collections from not only an artistic point of view because he also has to generate sales. However, he does think that there is a certain “dream” for sale too that is just as important as the clothing pieces on their own:

”I know this is a business, and we need to sell clothes, but it is also about image and inspiration, and sometimes a live show can miss the mark a bit. The lights go up, the model walks out, and you lose control of it. It’s really important to not only communicate, ‘This is a nice dress,’ or, ‘This is a cool trouser,’ but to sell the dream.”

Speaking on Louise Wilson, the legendary Central Saint Martins director who recently passed away, Gareth says he still remembers the valuable conversations he had with her and is excited to take a risk with his own career inspired by what they spoke about:

”(Louise) used to talk about the importance of how clothes are presented and how that had been lost, and everyone just did the same thing. This is a chance to change that. I know it’s a big risk and I’m worried. But I think it’s good to light a fire under your bum every once in a while.”