PARIS FASHION WEEK: Jeremy Scott

By Alex Fury, 21:42 Tue 30 Sep 2008

Opening to a cranked-up and cracked-out chamber orchestra's musak rendition of 'Material Girl' straight from a hotel elevator, Jeremy Scott's show proved he is no master of understatement. And that's exactly why we love him. For S/S 2009 Jeremy has evidently been inspired by the credit crunch and the safe conclusion that, when it comes to conspicuous consumption, we are all nothing more than nouvelle Marie Antoinettes - the original Material Girl. Accordingly, Jeremy's first outfit set the tone: a toile de juoy print mini-mantua that barely grazed the thigh, topped off with Eugene Souleiman's extravagant, excessive and towering 18th century wig - amazingly, our second of the day - trailing powder in its wake. Yes, Scott decided to stamp around in the flounces, furbellows and socio-economic upheaval of the French Revolution this season: however, Scott's is a decidedly clubkid Versailles. The high-piled poufs were for the boys too, and while engageantes and eschelle bows were all present and kind of correct, they were used to decorate swimsuits as opposed to court dress, while Marie's ferme ornee was represented by a series of chintzy dungarees and billowing shirtdresses. Later sections toyed with references closer to the 1980s than the 1780s, with kitschy Desperately Seeking Susan print dresses and lashings of thick lace in pink and black. It was a simple, vulgar, historically-inaccurate blast from start to finish, and that's what Scott does best - postmodern subtext of pastiche, parody and Scott's vision of our fossil fuel consumption aside. And as Margiela proved yesterday, nothing beats a great cake finale - Jeremy's was a rehash of Madonna's blasphemous 'Comme un Vierge' MTV performance, replete with a glaring white oversized acetate wedding cake that Jeremy took his bows from. Mr Scott, we're crazy for you.