Words by: Molly Boniface

Sinead Gorey is the label ‘for the party girls’. At 4:30 in the afternoon on the 17th of February 2023, Sinead Gorey’s lively rave inspired Autumn/Winter ‘23 fashion presentation was in full swing at Europe’s first bitcoin strip club, 23 Paul Street EC2. Visitors were offered spiced rum and ginger beer from a silver platter upon entry, before immersing themselves in two floors of cow hide, fishnets, tassels, and cowboy hats. Gorey amassed an impeccable coalescence of atmospheres, combining UK rave culture with the aesthetics of a western; it was ultimate sleaze. The collaboration with Kickers, the OG ‘jean boot’, was in keeping with the rodeo vibes.

A barmaid ensured a constant supply of drinks as the voyeurs rolled in. To the right of the bar, a typical Western saloon scene played out, undisturbed by the cacophony of onlookers. A model wearing a fur ushanka, a brown fishnet bodysuit, a leather belt and cow print cowboy boots perched on the arm of a red chesterfield beside a quintessential, long haired, long bearded cowboy. Behind them, a cowgirl was reclined, wearing a body-con dress with a photo-real print of a topless corseted body with heart shaped nipple stickers.

They played cards and danced to Dolly Parton’s country classic ‘Jolene’. In the next room, three models stood, positioned on a podium inside a dimly lit William-Morris-wallpapered, chandelier-and-disco-ball-fitted living room. They wielded leather whips and wore matching leather cow print ensembles; a full cowboy-esque suit, a sleeveless mini dress and a shirt and shorts two-piece embellished with leopard print tights (over the shorts). The animal pattern clash symptomatic of Gorey’s cohesion of worlds. Past the model wearing a tasselled, black, tight, beaded two-piece riding the bucking bronco you came to the next room, where models danced to Rick James’ ‘Super Freak’ on a table littered with bank notes and playing cards.

Onlookers were encouraged to watch the models from sofas or while leaning against the large wooden bar, as if patronising a strip club in the wild west. The rave influence on Gorey’s work is notable in the super stretchy bodycon fabrics and the inverted use of corset style lacing on the body suits that champion maximum room for manoeuvre. The label proudly promotes their ‘curve enhancing’ garments yet there was a notable lack of diversity among the models promoting the clothes. The models were predominantly straight sized, which did not show off the garments to their full potential. Without a range of body-types to see the clothes on it is hard to imagine the fit of the garments on larger curves.

The presentation was an ode to the ‘party girl’. The garments were practical, they would not be compromised by sweating or impassioned dancing. However, despite their sustainable seamless knitting technology that ensures zero-waste, many Sinead Gorey garments are made with 90% polyester. Polyester being a plastic-based material that is incredibly unsustainable. Overall, the presentation was an immersive experience. The clothes were certainly practical for dancing and freedom of movement but the lack of attention to sustainability and diversity in 2023 seems an unfortunate oversight from a label that claim to champion inclusivity.