Andrew Groves

Infobox Fashion Designer


caption=
name=Andrew Groves
nationality=English
birth_date=Birth date and age|1968|2|27
birth_place=Maidstone
death_date=
death_place=
education=Central Saint Martins
label_name=Andrew Groves
significant_design=
awards=|

Andrew Groves (born February 27, 1968) is an English fashion designer based in London who was notorious during the 1990's for his runway collections at London Fashion Week. His first on schedule show was called "Ourselves Alone", translated Gaelic "Sinn Féin" and Groves sent out his models in a mixture of grey suits, white shirts, orange sashes and charred green taffeta. He mixed the colours of unionism and republicanism. One model poured lighter fluid over her clothes and appeared to set herself on fire. Outside the show were 30 foot burning crucifixes.

His next show Cocaine Nights based on the novel by J.G. Ballard featured a dress made of razor blades modeled by a model walking on a catwalk of sugar-like cocaine. This was seen as an act of direct provocation at the time since U.S. President Bill Clinton had recently deplored the fashion industry's glamourization of drugs.

Andrew Groves is seen as one of the most controversial designers of the 90's as well as a master of tailoring. He also worked as head assistant to Alexander McQueen for several years before he showed his own labels at London fashion week. As well as designing runway collections, Groves also designed costumes for Robbie Williams and The Spice Girls.

External links

* [http://www.fashionwindows.com/runway_shows/andrew_groves.asp Fashion Windows ] collection of runway pictures
* [http://www.eledenardis.com/a_material_world.asp Fashion at the Edge ] Catwalk and book review
* [http://www.cocaine.org/misc/catwalk.html Cocaine.org] article on Groves and drugs in the fashion industry
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/183554.stm BBC News] report on cocaine nights collection