Stolen Girlfriends Club Spring 2009

Stolen Girlfriends Club (SGC) is on the south hemisphere schedule, so this is the current collection arriving in stores now. Pieces that grabbed my attention were the hooded button down and jeans featured above. I have an obsession with hooded button down shirts. They definitely add a stylish edge when layering and can completely change the mood/direction of an outfit. I also like the wash of the denim. I’ve been looking for a pair of jeans with a subtle bleaching effect and these definitely fit the bill.

What follows is the SGC official press release that explains the thought process behind the collection. It’s an interesting read talking about the world, we as people have created and the hypocrisy of businesses claiming to go green.

‘WE ARE ALL ANIMALS’

The sixth collection from pop culture brand Stolen Girlfriends Club, takes its name from a song by The Rakes. Exploring the imperfections of the human race – and the way in which our animalistic nature can surface when left unchecked, resulting in destruction to our fellow man, the environment, and ourselves.

“Damning cartoon eyes on a peace sign form the ‘Peace Face’, the collection’s primary graphic image, symbolizing a higher power looking down on us in disapproval of the world that we’re creating. The peace sign also signifies the essential truth that if we all threw down our arms, instead of constantly throwing down, many of the world’s major problems wouldn’t be in existence today. The image recurs throughout the range, sometimes palpably, as a tee shirt print or embroidered badge; and sometimes subtly, as tone on tone paneling in like colours.

Stolen Girlfriends Club is swiftly becoming known for their cheeky irreverence and willingness to make fun of themselves. Well now the tables have turned and they’re pointing the finger outwards, with this season’s catchphrase: Your Environmental Friendliness Makes Me Envious. “The slogan is poking fun at all the companies out there flying the green flag as a marketing ploy to sell products, when they’re not necessarily backing up the talk with the walk if you know what I mean,” states SGC creative director Marc Moore. “The environment is a touchy subject, and it could get quite serious. But with all the bad things going on around the world at the moment, we decided to have a bit of fun with the range and not get too serious.”

All is not symbolism and wisecracks. There is a distinctive hard-edged glam that weaves in and out of the collection, with the use of leather in garments such as boy’s shorts, girl’s dresses and even a bikini. The collection sees a departure from the more high-tech feel of winter, with extensive use of silks, in shorts, billowing dresses, tees, and the showstopper of the range: a biker vest in silk organza, the must have layering piece for summer. But don’t start thinking Stolen Girlfriends Club’s gone soft; the silk has been pre-washed to not look so precious, so even the boys can wear it without fear of retribution.

A subversive take on military inspired features appears in the rope braiding and tassels that hang from key pieces, while unstructured flowing shirts with frill details signify a departure from the ubiquitous rock n roll aesthetic, towards a new-New Romantic softness. Denim is crisp but not creased, in deep blues, bright blues with contrast stitching, three quarter length waxed black with zipped stirrups, and laundered jet black for the more vintage minded. The key denim of the collection is patchy overdyed grey and takes shape in the Teen Spirit and Teen Queen jeans.”