Giles SS09

This man always finds a way to inject a little bit of humor and pop culture into every collection. This season was no exception—the show included a giant pac-man ghost that briefly stood at the entrance and giant yellow dots from the cult arcade game leading around the runway. But the video game reference pretty much stopped there, other than the pac-man and ghost metallic helmets paired with gowns and sexy sheer tops. The prints and subtle shapes were inspired by my career of choice, something I don't see fashion designers credit enough, but Giles nailed it on the head: "I was just looking at the graphic designers of the late eighties and early nineties who I grew up admiring: Ben Kelly, Peter Saville, Mark Farrow. Pet Shop Boys videos, The Hacienda club. What they did was ridiculously simple but incredibly graphic." His balance between this world of cultural references and sheek, well-crafted pieces make this collection one of the best Giles has ever shown.