item details
Kerrie Hughes; fashion designer; 1992-1994; United Kingdom
Overview
This dramatic coat was designed and fabricated by Kerrie Hughes and Penny Meachin under their label Idol. The New Zealand-born duo established Idol in London in 1989, and specialised in hand-embellished women's wear with a highly romantic flavour. They offered a whole sale range, which they sold through stores such as Harvey Nichols and Liberty's of London, and a bespoke made-to-measure service, which included dressing celebrities such as Miranda Richardson and Paula Yates.
This coat is from Kerrie Hughes' personal wardrobe. The main print for the garment was designed by Hughes and applied by Meachin. It is inspired by the Royston cave carvings near Cambridge in England, the origin and use of which continues to perplex historians, although they are Christian in theme and medieval in style. In contrast to the main print, the patterns on the arm patches are based on Pacific tapa cloth designs, and a designs from one of Kerrie Hughes' earlier collections for which drew inspiration of her memories of Māori and Pacific patterns. Abstracted and rendered in a heavy ink, the patterns however bear little resembles to their original sources.