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Jason Pitzl-Waters on Mar 1st 2008 at 2:24 pm Uncategorized

Must Be the Season of the Witch

It looks like “Pagan chic” within the fashion industry isn’t going anywhere. British designer Luella, following in the footsteps of Alexander McQueen, has introduced a Pagan/Witch themed motif for her Fall 2008 line.

“And now here’s Luella Bartley, talking about “Britt Ekland in The Wicker Man and the witch museum in Boscastle, Cornwall, where we live,” before adding, “I wanted something a bit raw and pagan.” What’s this? Generalized cultural anxiety seeping to the surface in the form of fashion?”

Style.com may kid about “cultural anxiety”, but if you look at the news lately, you’ll see witchcraft is very much on the world’s mind. You have Scottish Parliment looking into pardoning the last woman (Helen Duncan) convicted under the Witchcraft Act of 1735, Middle-Eastern countries lining up to start executing women for crimes of “witchcraft”, and the particularly unsubtle criticisms of Hillary Clinton, just to name a few examples.

Yet, I can’t quite see anyone outside of Salem regularly wearing a conical “witches” hat any time soon. Aside from that, the collection is quite sensible. Check out this runway video:

Perhaps this just proves that Paganism never really goes out of fashion. Thanks to Sexy Witch and The White Witch for bringing this fashion story to my attention.

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5 responses so far

  • Anonymous

    Hello, Ugly fashion coming through… While the designer might have called this “witch chic,” I really don’t feel it is. With the awful hair and makeup, the outfits themselves fall kind of flat.That’s just my opinion. At least it makes for an interesting story…Namaste.John Pagelesswww.thepagelessbook.com

  • Illisse

    I have to agree with everyone else – the collection is rather bland and more more little girl pinafore(sp?) on an adult than ‘witchy’ (don’t ask me what witchy is but I’m sure this is not it.) Maybe it was Hogwarts inspired.BTW – does anyone else think all the models look really strung out?~Illisse

  • Emily

    Stung out and little more than walking skeletons…good grief, what has our society done? If that is beauty, I’d rather be ugly.

  • wolfwyndd

    Yeah, I’d have to agree. While I’m certainly no fashion expert, to me, it looks like little girls playing dress up. . . . or adults playing childish games. . . . or something like that. Yes, not only do the models look strung out on more drugs you can shake a stick at, they also look like escapees from a concentration camp. Seriously, go eat a cheeseburger for Goddess’ sake!

  • Anonymous

    First, quiet is in. The cuts are gorgeous and the fabrics are luxe. Hint, hint, Luella is the next big thing: http://www.refinery29.com.Also: please. Witches are so 1995.