Friday 13th March: Patrick Wolf's wardrobe by Ada Zanditon

On Sunday night I had the priveledge of seeing the 1st performance from Patrick Wolf's iminent album release "Bachelor". I saw him preview new material last year but had no idea how the themes have evolved and what creations have been invented since the initial incarnation. As an exponent of avantgarde experimentation in his dress, I was just as excited to see his new wardrobe as hear the new songs. And boy, the prolific talent has been hard at work collaborating with designer Ada Zanditon to perfectly polish the next chapter.
I got in touch with Ada to find out exactly how it came about.
Patrick played her some music and explained a brief for her to freely interpret: death, oblivion, battle, bones picked clean, an elegant carcus.....visuals to come out of songs such as "Vulture".



"i had this kind of idea for a klaus nomi inspired charachter - the suit
a vulture - the vulture cape
and a henry the 8th the younger like a battle hero

suit - polished cotton very thick - pop out coffin panel on the arm and
generally inspired by coffins and vampires and oblivion....

vulture - vultures feathers as a suit of armour so its taking on the
strength / sight / cunning of the vulture in a shamanistic way .....

the henry 8th via space - human hair shoulder pads . heat seam sealing
tape to finish edges ......... henry the 8000th....

then the needles jacket was from my previous collection
that is inspired by extending the skeleton out of the body extending the
nerve endings touching the world with a magnification of what is
microscopic..."

Ada, who just exhibited in the Aesthetica section of London Fashion Week opperates her business within parameters of sustainability and ethical design. Her aesthetic is to create cutting edge conceptual clothes from conciencsely considered materials. Patrick has metomophisised by shedding the shimmering sparkling Peter Pan era and emmerged by crackling open spiky and radical new wings. I went backstage after the gig to have a close look at the incredible garments that have given his presence such a radical new energy. The jacket with spears is covered in individually sewn sticks that bristle in wakes when moved. If you want to see the spectacle for yourself and missed the show at Heaven last night, you can catch the act again at Koko in Camden tonight. For non Londoners, check Patrick's upcoming tour dates: http://www.myspace.com/officialpatrickwolf

(Thank you to Ada for the snaps from her fittings and the other images I have lifted from Nova Dando's blog.)








(Snow photos courtesy of: http://novadando.blogspot.com/)