The show began with the hint of the wilder side of things, and with the first outfit, a see-through white dress – facial war painting, a heeled pair of Puma trainers – the tribal gates of Amazonia had opened for viewing to the horde of impressionable, trippy youths. Do not think otherwise: Mash Up is here to stir things up at every family potluck or insipid company retreat.
But as dreams go, you could set your eyes on Mash Up’s Spring Summer 2015 regardless. This wonder trio of Daniela Monasterios‐Tan, Nathanael Ng, Shaf Amis’aabudin is a design powerhouse that swallows a city’s subculture for breakfast and excretes a melting pot of ideas topped with political commentary as supper. And you know to be prepared for the visual onslaught of which I believe is the poster girl of the Algerian war and the female gender.
Entitled “Les femmes D’Alger”, this blend of abstract prints: photo collages, mosaic tilings and extensive embellishments – paid homage to the subject of womanhood during war in the 50s. Mash Up had glimpsed into the past – suggested the moment when the female species had transcended the ravages of war and risen as goddesses. Be it the overlapping mesh dress that heralds virtue or the rebellious streak of a decon denim jacket, the designers seemed immovably rooted in their design aesthetics. There’s no shortage of fans here, as Mash Up wraps up a quirky showdown of chanced surprises, and the clockwork of ideas makes you wonder when they will strike next.
