Pppppick up a PPQ

So PPQ have a problem.  They don't sell clothes.  They don't have a physical shop now, they don't have anymore online retailers, and stores haven't picked up their last two collections.  It's a shame because the 'designers' Amy Molyneaux and Percy Parker seem like really nice people, but their brand suffers from being only famous because of its association with certain types of British celebrity (Peaches and Pixie Geldof, Alexa Chung, etc) and because of the chief designers' lack of, well, ability to design.  So what do designers do when they want to be taken seriously for their craft?  Go back to black.

Which is exactly what Amy and Percy have done, showing a collection entirely in black and gold, and using some 'professional' models, eschewing the celebrities of late.  Unfortunately for them, this not only highlights their desperation, but also emphasises their weaknesses as designers.  If you're going to do a whole collection in one colour, you better make sure the cuts and fabrics are as directional as possible.  And they weren't...  In fact, I was discussing this perhaps a little too loudly with a friend when leaving the tent at Somerset House when an editor, who shall remain unnamed, turned to me and said "you've hit the nail on the head there".

I popped into the PPQ showroom (Yes, they are actually having to show their clothes in the exhibition now, usually reserved for off-schedule designers, not headline acts...) to take a closer look at the clothes:

When I saw the collection on the runway, I wondered what the gold fabrics looked like up-close and personal.  Well, I can tell you.  They looked cheap.  Like cheap gold lamé.  And when questioned, the staff admitted that the accessories (which were the only parts of the collection I kind of liked) were designed by someone else.

PPQ has been the hit show for the past couple of years.  Everyone wants a ticket to the show and especially the afterparty, to get themselves 15 minutes of the glamourous lives they supposedly lead.  But you can't base a business on this.  There needs to be solid design and good quality materials to back it up.  Especially if you want to charge £700 a dress...

Wishing PPQ luck,
Duck
xx

P.S. I included the last 45 seconds of the first video just to introduce you to my new drunken assistant, Felicity Rose.  I hope you enjoy her commentary :)