Pepe La Pugh

Gareth Pugh.jpg Gareth Pugh’s announced that he’ll show his Fall ‘09 collection in Paris this year, instead of his usual London stomping grounds.

Pugh’s been a staple member of the Brit cool kid pack for the past few seasons, but his recent ANDAM award grants him 150,000 euros, some serious backing (including Swarovski and LVMH), and a Paris show.

Way back when, as an intern in a designer’s London showroom, I had the gall to ask my supervisor why said designer showed in Paris while so firmly rooted in London, to which my boss responded, “Because Paris is the only place that matters. It’s where the real artists show expert collections and it’s where you show when you’ve really made it.”

While I think there are brilliant designers showing everywhere, there’s something about Paris that makes it a designer’s mecca. Pugh said, “I want longevity, of course, and I also want to be taken more seriously,” which implies that while London’s been nothing but good to the young, radical designer, showing in Paris is his ultimate validation.

posted by guest

Jun 26, 2008 12:16PM

congrats to gareth, i just love him!

Jun 26, 2008 12:57PM

i really think london can stand on its own these days... every season its designers become stronger and stronger.

posted by AsianModelsBlog

Jun 26, 2008 1:43PM

He had some interesting collections over the last couple of seasons but his work is too avant-garde for the retailers. I wonder how he makes money since he doesn't have an accessories or perfume line like Balenciaga.

posted by disneyrollergirl

Jun 26, 2008 2:23PM

Yep, London is where they get noticed then once they've hit the big time it's straight to New York or Paris. Can't blame them really, you've gotta earn a living after all. AsianModelsBlog, for all we know he 'consults' for other brands or puts his name to lucrative deals (um, can't think of any but I'm sure there must be some). He hasn't got to the perfume/accessories stage but it's obviously his next step. Good luck Gareth...

Jun 26, 2008 3:14PM

Well I'm sure he breaks even. He is carried in stores like Browns in London (you can buy his stuff online) and I'm sure some Parisian retailers like Colette or Maria Luisa carry his stuff. It's disappointing though when people use London as a launching pad because they support unknowns and then people just abandon it. I think he's too much of a one trick pony to really last in Paris, but that's just my own opinion. I actually think someone like Christopher Kane would do better in Paris. Though Gareth and Chris did do a lot in putting on exciting shows to get editors back to London so I appreciate that.

posted by maiabergman

Jun 26, 2008 10:38PM

I love you cutiepie