Be Baroque

First it was the t-shirt, elevated from ho-hum basic to high fashion by illustrators like Lauren Moshi and Cavern's Adam Tullie and Angeline Rivas. And now the latest wardrobe staple to get the fine art treatment is the humble pair of pantyhose, as re-imagined by new Scottish label Bebaroque.

The creation of recent grads Mhairi McNicol and Chloe Patience, Bebaroque subverts the traditional purpose of tights—to hide less-than-perfect legs—and puts them on a glorious pedestal. Patience paints every pair by hand with her signature flourishing motifs, while McNicol adds a traditional touch with intricate embroidery and beadwork. "We chose hosiery as a canvas for our work because it's all about the body," says Patience. "We wanted to show how embroidery and print can be worn in new and exciting ways."

Styles range from the relatively simple, like The Roxy—a burlesque-ready pair with black fringe running down the backs of the legs—to the deliciously ornate, complete with sequins, Swarovski crystals and lace inlays. Our personal favorite is "Tattoo Me," which covers the legs in trompe l'oeil sailor tats. (This writer is planning on wearing them to scare her mother the next time she visits.)

"Women are dressing up a lot more, and tights are so varied and colorful now that they really help to make an outfit more interesting," explains Patience. Thanks to strong backing by the Scottish fashion industry, Bebaroque will be making appearances at London Fashion Week and Paris' "Who's Next" expo, all while launching a full Fall collection. Looks like our legs are about to get a lot more airtime—and, thankfully, now we don't need a gym membership to make them look their best.

www.bebaroque.co.uk

—Erin Magner