Not too long ago, consumers were only dipping their feet into the prêt-à-porter avant-garde fashion current. Now, we are all practically diving in head first. Just look at a few of today's trendsetters: Vivian Westwood, Karl Lagerfeld, Rick Owens, Alexander Wang, and Rodarte. Just a few years ago, their collections may have been considered “a bit too over the top” for mainstream fashion. These days, they are household names and it seems as though the entire industry’s direction is leaning toward that dark romantic/neo-gothic aesthetic.

Enter Tim Burton and Jean Paul Gaultier's love chid: Katie Gallagher......

Katie’s beautiful and eccentric collection, turns the latest avant-garde trends up a notch, generating a seductive and ethereal edge.

Each piece is raw, yet polished, with great attention to construction. Katie keeps her color palette dark, utilising mostly shades of black and grey- remaining true to her glamour/grunge vision. With her sculptured shoulders and strategic cuts that wrap a women’s body, Katie has an intrinsic knack for contouring her garments to give the illusion of an elongated, sleek feminine frame…

even when there isn't one.

Katie's introspective collection is provoking, sensual and altogether fascinating. She is indeed, a designer ahead of her time. I absolutely love this collection- it is sharp, chic and fabulously futuristic!

To see exclusive SBS picts from the S/S 2010 Fashion Presentation, please click HERE

To view Katie Gallagher's 2010 Collection and Sketches, please click HERE

Industry Background:

Katie Gallagher was raised in a small farm town in Pennsylvania and graduated from Rhode Island School of Design. She worked as an apprentice at Anna Sui and at threeASFOUR, where she continued as a freelance pattern-maker.   

Katie's collection uses a variety of luxury fabrics, treated leathers, soft cashmere mixed with washed jersey, stretch lycra, and light, treated textiles, to create a layered collection offset with chain detailing. Leggings and trousers with curving seams, various types of treated leather jackets, and organza and silk tops with unusual cuts, sculptural forms, and draping techniques make up the basis of the 22 look, 70+ separate collection.

Katie was inspired by the dramatic, hyper-curated beauty of Butoh dancers, and the dystopia of the  low-life and high-tech world of cyberpunk classics like William Gibson’s, Neuromancer, and Neal Stephenson’s, Snow Crash.