Pam Hogg SS23 – London Fashion Week

For Pam Hogg, ambassador for the unconventional and whose presence is etched into the very identity of London’s fashion scene, not showing her SS23 collection at this year’s London Fashion Week was never an option.  Addressing the “undemocratic decision” to blanket cancel shows in light of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing in an Instagram post, she lamented on the effect it would have on ‘first-timers’ and seasoned designers alike.  The time, energy, and commitment that went into into producing their respective collections would have all gone to waste.

Hogg has always been as outspoken as her collections, and next summer is going to be no different.  The show paid homage to her 30+ years as a designer and as a champion of the outlandish individual.  Scottish MBE recipient Eunice Olumide kicked things off wrapped in a skintight gold catsuit from the Pam Hogg 2009 collection that seemed perfect for the present day.  The studded leather crown on Olumide’s head was once worn by Hogg herself on the cover of i-D magazine in 1989, hinting at the enduring nature of natural, raw talent.

Referencing her past was fitting a testament to her career as a nod to how she wishes to continue.  The title of the collection, My Profession is Dreaming, spoke to her aesthetic and unbridled creativity in the use of materials.  The new offering even featured menswear for the first time, hinting at an evolving commercial sensibility.  And yet, the designs remain loud and unapologetically extroverted.  Parachute jumpsuits, printed co-ords, and clashing tones all worked together to tell compelling tale.

The chronology was obvious.  An artistically dripped bleach print would return as a motif throughout the collection across gender-fluid tailoring, oversized velour tracksuits, and the skintight silhouettes synonymous with Hogg’s style.  Signature eclectic colour schemes brought everything to life, while patent finishes and opulently tiered latex finale added an underlying sense of erotica.

The sheer variety of techniques and fabrications Hogg employs to enable texture and shapes to come alive is, as always, a fascination.  In her world of fantasy, the early temptations eventually gave way to the fierce desires for the caped tulle coats and elaborately sculptured dresses to firmly anchor us in the fantastical dreamscape.  Everything perfectly epitomised the eccentricity that Hogg has become famous for.  We’ll have to wait for next summer to see that eccentricity spill out onto the streets.

For more information on Pam Hogg SS23, click here

Click here to read our POSTER GIRL SS23 London Fashion Week review