Dear Shaded Viewers,
With her slightly deranged pin-ups and sensual outfits, Isabelle Mayer gave a bit of spice to the graduate show taking place in Basel last Saturday. Ironic and body-conscious, her clothes referred to Surrealism and figures of speech within the German language, turning proverbs and sayings into clothing details, fabrics or accessories. Jackets were cropped and skirts sat high on the waist, while cheeky slits exposed unexpected body parts. The color palette evoked the 1950s and make-up tones, such as red, pink, nude and black. If Mayer's models had the vampyish appeal of self-assured femmes fatales, they were nevertheless carrying strange items in their hands, as well as iconic animals, a fetish within Swiss culture. Having walked around the streets of Basel and spotted beasts on buildings, churches and fountains, Mayer managed to tap into a certain Swiss feeling, balancing bourgeois taste with witty sarcasm. She won the "F
