POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE OF THE CATWALK & IAIN R WEBB

I first met Iain R Webb as a St Martins student around 1978, we immediately struck up a friendship, I worked in Covent Garden shop P.X. most people came by at some point, and I remember Iain coming by to tell me he'd just been on a drive to the countryside with friends, they had decided to make a style shrine on the dashboard of the car which included a picture of me! I was flattered to say the least. Since then Iian went on from fashion design into the world of fashion writing... A regular fixture on the front row of the most credible shows, I often bump into him on these occasions, always a great catchup moment I hasten to add, with this book Iain has managed to capture the furore of the catwalk both on and off stage.
Here we are at a recent book signing for Postcards From The Edge Of The Catwalk (above), I just had to attend this one! The book itself contains imagery from the 80's to the present day, there's no chronological order here, rather the photos fall into a poetry of their own.
A visual diary of fashion moments, the iconic and familiar parade via a series of snaps, it's interesting to see models, designers and us the dedicated fashion show goers become part of the spectacle. There's something very personal to Iain's pictorial evidence where the stage is the main feature, but the surrounding moments and build up are lovingly documented.
Going to see a fashion show is good fun! I generally go and see friends shows being on the peripheries of fashion, the amount of creative energy that goes into getting a 10 minute show just right always astounds me. The anticipation surrounding these occasions often leaves us, the audience, gasping.
The spectacle and who's who in the front row is as much part of a show as the show itself. In Postcards... all is revealed. This is Iain's dedication to the fantastical world he inhabits, a place where for mere minutes, month's worth of preparation come to fruition.
Designers, designs, celebrities, models, photographers, writers, muses, make up artists, hairdressers and friends get equal amounts of homage in Iain's visual account. The passion and humor is apparent, infact working in and around fashion takes pure dedication and focus. Professor Webb is one such person.
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Published by ACC Editions