Red or Dead Overview

Sex and silliness -- those are the two major elements of Red or Dead's work. Wayne Hemingway's British design firm gives us sinuous clothing that holds onto its wearer as though it were simply colored, patterned, textured flesh, and he gives... [more]

Sex and silliness -- those are the two major elements of Red or Dead's work. Wayne Hemingway's British design firm gives us sinuous clothing that holds onto its wearer as though it were simply colored, patterned, textured flesh, and he gives us the comedy of fake bunny fur and sequins. Red or Dead's collections have included cat suits that hug so tightly to the model you can't tell if she was born with the slinky black leather skin of the suit or the pink flesh peeking out from underneath. But sex is also parodied: the feather boas and black stockings of a harlot accentuate lacy, undersized lingerie. Shimmering green-sequined tube tops and skirts are set off irreverently by matching bow ties. At their fashion shows, Red or Dead complement the fun of the clothing with goofy themes. The theme of the Spring 2000 collection was Tropical Island Adventure. Models donned pastel scarves and cool blue cut-offs, or animal-print bikini-tops and skirts. The stand-out piece of the show, though, was an entire outfit composed of brown-and-tan beaded car mats. That's right, Hemingway and team have made sexy little numbers out of what otherwise might be comforting the bum of your friendly neighborhood taxi driver. [show less]