Remember Red or Dead? If you were a 90s fashionista, you probably owned a piece from their collection. I had a pair of neon blue and yellow foam wedge sandals (bought for a year 9 disco) and the infamous rainbow striped kitten heel slingbacks – a copy of a pair Carrie wore on Sex and the City.
The brand, started by Wayne Hemingway and his wife Geraldine in 1982, exploded in the 90s but petered out as fashion moved on. Things have been quiet until recently, when Red or Dead resurfaced.
I was contacted by the Red or Dead PR team who asked if I’d like to choose an item from their clothing collection and a pair of tights from their range. Initially it was nostalgia that interested me – would they rework that rainbow stripe for 2011? But after looking at the range I was thoroughly impressed. Here’s what I chose:
Wearing: Red or Dead chocolate brown trench coat, Topshop jeans, Steve Madden boots, Mango ring
On: Saturday 8th January
For: Hunting for bargains in my favourite charity shop
It’s the attention to detail that makes this coat spectacular. Everything from the silky printed lining inside to the adorable zebra medal pinned to the lapel. The heavy cotton means it’s warm enough for even the coldest of days and the sharp, military-style silhouette is so elegant, even over jeans and a t-shirt.
I’ve yet to wear the tights but anything that comes in a pink package emblazoned with the phrase ‘glorious gussets’ is bound to be wonderful, so I have high hopes.
I’m really impressed with the quality and design of the things I’ve seen from Red or Dead. Although the brand is synonymous with the 90s, they’ve created pieces that are relevant right now. I especially love the swimwear and handbag collections, although some of the clothing is a little too ‘graphic print jersey’ for me. One thing I really don’t like is the website – what’s going on there?!
Are you familiar with Red or Dead? What do you think of the range?
I would not have guessed the coat was from them at all! It’s really lovely!
A girl on my uni course swears by red or dead. I can’t say i’ve ever felt the urge to have a look, however i’m deffo going to now! xo
That coat is beautiful, the cut look so flattering and fitted- something that brands seem to forget when designing trench’s.
And omg, the website is hideous! It looks like some weird high school IT project! x
The coat is so modern, I fail as a 90’s bubby. I’e never heard of them! hehe
I love it though, me want!
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Hey Jen I chose the same coat, gorg isnt it! I also had a pair of those foam wedges LOL x
Ooo I remember red or dead. I really didn’t even consider that they were still around :O The coat is absolutely gorgeous, looking forward to seeing the tights 🙂
L x
I had a pair of the foam wedges, I kept them in such good condition and had the box for ages! Think they are still at mums somewhere.
The coat is gorgeous, very flattering, and perfect for this weather.
xx
I have red or dead leopard print glasses. They do some awesome glasses, ive been getting them for a while.
I love the coat, I always think that its the little details that make a purchase. If it comes in nice packaging and quirky names Im always more likely to shop with them again!
Sophie
x
Wow, that coat is gorgeous! I’m definitely going to have to check out their range now! xx
ohh, that jacket is stunning! I love the added details, they make it just that bit different! I can honestly say i’ve never owned anything by Red or Dead, even in my teens…. I shall have to investigate them! x
I’ve been eyeing their tights…amazing.
the coat is lovely.. very classy..somthing you could wear over jeans but also over a smarter outfit for work etc..
i had a pair of the rainbow stripe shoes.. i honestly thought i looked amazing in them with my frayed waist light blue jeans (urgh!) and off the shoulder gypsy top.. yes that was an outfit i actually wore to a party ..no wonder i was single for ages!!!
Oh my goodness I’m beyond glad they’ve re-launched the brand- I remember distinctly a pair of silk ballet shoes I had from them, with a dragon embroidered on them. I LOVED those shoes.
ROD always seemed to have a sense of humour with their clothes, which was definitely a drip down effect from Mr Hemingway- he’s hilarious!
I adore the coat- definitely going to look at the website now.
xxx Maddie
Oh my you have brought back some memories! I had the red and gold lightning heels, they were so immense. Lent to them to a friend and she lost the ankle strap! Fail! xx
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Looking good! I’ve noticed some cool Red or Dead pieces lately. Wayne Hemingway is someone I really respect as he cares about balancing design and practicality.
If eveything has this level of attention to detail then it is definitely worth checking out. I love the jacket and agree on the bags and swimwear too. I have to admit that I like the website, it is certainly different!
Ahhh those wedges take my back! Happy days….! It’s always difficult when I brand tries to move forward from an era when they were huge! It looks like they are really trying – hope they have a good distribution network to support them! Website looks way to complicated though! The coats looks wicked on you too.
I remember lusting after Red or Dead clothing in the 90s but being told it was “too old” for me! Love that trench coat, the lining is so pretty. x
What a great coat! I definitely remember Red or Dead, so glad they’re back!
I used to love Red or Dead the coat looks beautiful!
So does your outfit!
i love that coat!! ive previously had a pair of red or dead glasses that i think i got from specsavers. i remember not long after getting them seeing bits of theirs in schuh (like bags and shoes) i was quite surprised how broad their range of well everything goes. The stuff you picked out looks lovely! 🙂 xx
I remember my piano teacher having an inflatable watch (when inflatable EVERYTHING was the thing haha) from red or dead hehe!
really lovely coat!
The coat is gorgeous and look so great on you! I remember Red or Dead, I always wanted a pair of shoes (my sister had the rainbow ones I think) but I do steal have this cool bag covered in clouds which I adore despite its utter randomness!!
Hannah xx
Ooo, that coat is yummy.
I know Red or Dead from their glasses alone, which are very stylish. I may have to have a little look at their range if this is the kind of thing they’re producing nowadays…
I love their shoes now, a few stores in cardiff stock them and they re so different and fun!
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What a great coat!
Wayne is always on Radio 4 chatting about something or other. He has fingers in many a pie. I don’t like the coat but I LOVE all the details. And I’m going to check the website.
I’ve had a look online and the collection is really nice. I love the coat you chose, and love how you wore it. Can’t wait to see what the tights are like.
I remember those rainbow striped shoes very well! I used to have a poster in my old teenage bedroom with them displayed inside a birdcage.
It is a brand I am quite familiar with, I remember lusting after a beautiful bag a few years ago, but I didn’t know they had branched out into clothing.
The trench is gorgeous, I do love the detailing very much so, the Zebra is by far a lovely touch x
I used to love my foam wedges! My mate had the multicoloured stripy ones, mine were a much more sedate black and bronze.
Ah, memories!
remember the stripey shoes as well, but i didn’t have any = i did have some amazing pink foam wedges though whcih were a tk maxx find and the best thing ever when i was about 12!! !:)
I remember those rainbow shoes! My housemate at uni wore them for her graduation, and I was so jealous.
I love the trench coat 🙂 Definitely needed today!
love the coat, the little details make it even more special!
My glasses are by Red or Dead, they have some really lovely, fashion-forward frames. I wasn’t really aware of them having a big clothing presence though. The trench suits you so well, I’m definitely going to take a closer look at their clothes now.
Oooohh this is fab! I didn’t know they did clothes. The coat is gorgeous. x
I remember wayne hemmingway he used to do a feature on channel 4’s the big breakfast back in the day. For a while I never knew he was the guy behind Red or Dead.
I’ve seen their shoes in Schuh they’ve had them in there for quite a while but I never was aware that they did clothes as well. It’s pretty cool that they are making a come back. The trench is really nice and I love the attention to detail on it such as the buttons and lining. Anything that has that extra attention to detail gets a nod in my book.
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That is a GORGEOUS jacket!
I don’t remember the brand from when I was younger, perhaps I missed that! But I know of them through their designer glasses, which are lovely. A bit edgy but not extreme, really cool. You made a good choice here, a trench is an absolute classic! jazzy ♥
I’ve always loved their shoes – they seem to be shelved next to the Irregular Choice ones in Schuh and I always pop in to have a look at them! I wasn’t so aware of the clothing – is it a more recent thing or just had a lower presence over the past few years? Wayne Hemingway is a busy man though so I can understand why it might be the latter. He’s doing some great work with sustainable housing.
I adore Wayne Hemmingway and have done since he avocated revamping second-hand clothing back in the 1980’s, we share a mutual love of kitsch and 1970’s fashion.
Jon’s got a pair of Red Or Dead specs and I’ve held on to an inflatable watch I had as a 30th birthday pressie back in the 1990’s.
Although that mac looks lovely on you, it’s not the kind of thing I’d associate with Red or Dead. The details are rather sweet but it isn’t really quirky or cutting edge, the type of thing I’ve always associated with the brand. xxx
Oh god I love it. I don’t think I even knew Red or Dead made clothes. That sounds stupid, but I remember the shoes so well. V impressed and will have a look around their website x
Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway sold Red or Dead in 1999. Most of the designers left around the same time. It went down hill from then!