Photo: Courtesy of HBO.Gearing up for tomorrow's season-four premiere of HBO's Game of Thrones, it's easy to get lost in the social-media sea of references to Castle Black and Khaleesi. But, we'll definitely be keeping our eye on leather designer Zana Bayne's fantastically curated Tumblr, GoT Runway, which expertly compares the show's heroic costuming to notable moments on the high-fashion runway.
The comparisons are intuitively linked and often uncanny — Meera Reed's huntress jacket does look a lot like one in Haider Ackermann's fall 2008 collection, come to think of it. And, Joffrey Baratheon's ornate gilded jacket certainly is a dead ringer for one in Jean Paul Gaultier's 2007 couture collection. Of course, if any designer's aesthetic is most complementary to Game of Thrones, it's Rick Owens. The parallels are seemingly endless, and Bayne does an impeccable job proving that the popular series and avant-design go hand in hand.
Thanks to Bayne's own ever-ascending profile (her harnesses are worn on the reg by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé), and GoT Runway's digital clout, the designer will now bring her fashionable observations to Elle.com for a new weekly column. Bayne explains that she got into the series late, but became instantly hooked: "At the time, I was actually in the middle of a horrific creative block, so funny enough having GoT Runway as [an] excuse to do extensive designer research was exactly what I needed to become reinspired!"
If any show can reawaken the aesthetic sense, it's certainly Game of Thrones. One of Bayne's favorite looks is Khaleesi's white halter-neck gown, which she smartly linked to Givenchy's angelic (but brutal) spring 2012 couture collection. Come tomorrow night, we'll be eyeing Mother of Dragon's attire, too — free associating and comparing it with Bayne's findings. Voilà! A whole new way to watch cult TV (that doesn't involve drinking). (Elle)