I first came across the the Petit-Mal fanzine last season during Paris. On a long rainy night waiting for McQueen to start, my favourite compadre in the fashion world, who also happens to be an eminent critic, pulled a copy out of her bag and enthused while I hungrily waited to feast on what turned out to be rubbery sushi. What I saw in the dimly lit booth was a cacophony of vintage looking "Biff" "Bam" "Pow" graphics, telling a comic-book story using supermodels in place of Batman & Robin et al. I made encouraging noises, but I didn't SEE it for the brilliant thing it is. Oh how I hate it when that happens! Open mind......
Turns out these guys are turning the "serious business" of capturing beauty, hair and fashion-line-ups from backstage in an arty photographic way on its head. And in the funnest way possible are turning the bedlam into comic-book brilliance, and the models are all in on it and taking part! Anyway I think I've just caught the wave on this one before it goes majorly mainstream, because in the last week Petit-Mal has tunnelled straight into the centre of my consciousness. I hear its Sydney based art directors/graphic designers Shane Sakkeus and Jonathan Zawada are about to make an onslaught at London Fashion Week in collaboration with TopShop. Can't wait to see what they've been up to. And I know this is just the start of something fabulous, as for the entire SS10 shows they have full access backstage in every city for the first time. V magazine have called Petit-Mal the "new Vogue", I say it's Marvel meets Viz - classic! For now I will leave you to enjoy the above - just drink it in. I can't get enough of Karl's expression, really it's too funny. It's from their new issue, check it out here .
