Costume Drama

My favorite look: an armor-like waist-cincher paired with numerous layers of garters and straps

When Rachel Freire emailed me these images of her Fall 09 collection, which was recently shot by photographer Ron Goldstein, I was deeply enthralled. I know Rachel has gotten a fair bit of well-deserved blog love of late, but why not pile on some more? Rachel is another fantastic product of Central Saint Martins, but rather than studying Fashion, she received a BA in Theater Design, and you can definitely see the influence of costume in her dramatic work. While her clothes are laden with embellishments snapped from various historical eras (boning and corsets here, flowing Edwardian pleats and ruffles there), they are always infused with Rachel's futuristic aesthetic. My favorite combination of these styles takes the form of an armor-like waist-cincher, which looks one part Medieval armor, and one part cyborg. The clothes might be a little difficult to manage as everyday attire, but they are perfectly fit for center stage, and Little Boots and Beth Ditto have both already worn Rachel's designs to perform.

-Tiffany