Gareth Pugh chose the dark, industrial location of Milk Studios’ enclosed loading dock to show his video installation on a gigantic and totally ominous cube. Four films were projected on its four sides at once, all directed by Ruth Hogben (whom also directed Pugh’s collection video last season). The works were meant to evoke the ideas behind his upcoming S/S 2010 collection, which invariably involve juxtapositioning darkness with light and heaviness with weightlessness. The soundtrack of dragging chains (or corpses in chains) and guttural white noise clashed eerily with a hanging dancer submerged in flowing fabric, while a trio of men cascading rhythmically forward beside a seated deity felt somewhat religious. If it sounds esoteric, it’s because it was. 

Even meatier was the private dinner that followed on Milk’s new rooftop terrace. An enormously long, skinny table not unlike Pugh’s imposing silhouette was set up where Gareth’s nearest and dearest, dressed in suitably gothy, spiky attire, tore into roast beef, artichoke pizza and the fashion news of the day.