When you buy a Bernhard Willhelm frock, you buy into an artful way of life. No plain, marching runway presentation for Willhelm. Oh no. To present his frocks at Paris Fashion Week, the man creates a surrealist netherworld of writhing lycra-clad dandies, baguette wielding Amazons and surly geisha.
In a large formal room in the Place de la Bourse, Paris, Willhelm installed models around a central form, all acting out a series of strange but precise movements. Props included a staff made of a series of baguettes, eighties exercise contraptions, light bulbs on long sticks, mops and 5 foot-long skewers of real fruit. One girl wore a magnificent studded fur cod piece, while gents sported tiny hand-stitched penis accessories.
A model grated an avocado over foam, a table was cut about a man's leg, one held a piece of painted paper to the air as an offering to the fashion gods.
Those who had queued for an hour to gain entry to the presentation wandered slowly, mouths gaping. Other art fiends - part of Willhelm's creative team? - sat in window seats to enjoy the sureality.
Beyond the performance, Willhelm was pitching colourful kimono-inspired dresses for winter 2010/2011, knitted tights covered in horizontal ruffles, chucking, heels brogues and heavily contrasted knits. A bright orange dress, yellow and black kimono jacket and another frock with bright swathes of colour on black are ideal for Australian buyers (please buy them so we can, err buy them).
Willhelm looked on from a corner door, quietly supping a Duval and being commended by those who knew him.
It was a spectacular spectacular, and the clothes were a joy.