Yesterday the doors to London Fashion Week finally opened and brands wasted no time in getting things off to a tantalizing start. With both a combination of traditional physical shows and a number of digital-only spaces the stage was truly set with lots to admire and be wowed by on Day 1 of LFW. Here are some of the highlights!
Poster Girl
With clothing featuring Barbie approved pink hues, heart-shaped cutouts, and a myriad of fun colours and textiles, Francesca Capper and Natasha Somerville brought a debut runway show that was straight from a 2000s chick flick.
The label played on current trends like the micro mini skirt while cultivating joyful accessories perfect for the winter like oversized ski boots and fur neck covers. While it was the label’s first-ever catwalk show, the collection was far from novice and it’s no surprise since the London taught designers have been leading the way in celebrity style after dressing big names like Kylie Jenner and Maya Jama. The brand combined street-style inspired garments with couture contoured silhouettes to present a collection that was both playful and stylish; perfectly emulating the energy of the modern woman’s wardrobe.
Mark Fast
Tassels, tight-fitting silhouettes, and traditional trench coats encapsulated the aspirational and uninhibited energy of Mark Fast’s clothing. Fast sought up a collection that brought energy and life to everyday wear; matching the brand’s ethos of cultivating exciting pieces that simultaneously provide comfort and luxury.
While most of his pieces featured in nude tones of taupe and peach, Fast brought them to life with unconventional designs and tight-fitting styles. The Central Saint Martins graduate also drew inspiration from the Y2K punk rock scene, as models wore spiky hairstyles and dark smoky eye-looks to match their skin-tight clothing.
Jack Irving
Looking underwater for inspiration; Jack Irving’s London show was like nothing seen before. Inflatable purple tentacles, plexiglass corsets, and metallic bralettes were just some of the sea life-inspired garments that Irving sent down the runway. The pieces were brought to life through the raging electronic music and the enthusiasm of the diverse cohort of models who broke free from the inflatable wear to showcase the metal underwear that hid beneath.
When speaking about the show, the Blackpool-born designer, said he ‘sees the underwater goddess alien, a woman that is incredibly powerful’, demonstrating Jack’s allegiance to women and his ability to showcase the divine energy of femininity through his weird and wonderful designs.
Women weren’t the only ones Irving’s AW22 collection paid homage to, however, as the tight-fitting corsets and solid materials used were resemblant of late fashion designer Thierry Mugler’s work.
Saul Nash
Urban sportswear met high fashion at Saul Nash’s AW22 show, named ‘RITUAL’. The 29-year-old designer celebrated movement, London- inspired style, and individuality through his fluid menswear. Models danced and walked the runway in colourful garments, some were inventively coloured with a blended mesh of the hues from the Guyana flag, to celebrate the designer’s Guyanese heritage.
In true London style, the video promo for the show saw models dancing in downtown barber shops, adorned with colourful sportswear, which was impressively made with sustainable, Primaloft material. The unsuspecting setting was chosen based on the collection’s message of community and togetherness- and what better place to celebrate this community spirit than urban London?
Matty Bovan
On the day of one of the worst storms in the history of the country, Matty Bovan stepped into LFW with his rather aptly titled collection Cyclone. Serving as an homage to America, the collection was wild and exuberant featuring chaotic energy that has come to be a great staple of Bovan’s work. The rebellion was another strong theme present, noted by the vast array of loud, chaotic prints adorned across tattered coats and dramatically oversized capes, huge shoulder pads which call back to the classic rebellious movements of the past such as punk, and messaging that leaves us with a sense of hope for the future.
These looks aren’t generally the kind suited to everyday use heading to the shops, but they make bold, powerful statements and epitomize the kind of creativity and attitude that the fashion industry is all about.
Conner Ives
New York-born designer Conner Ives made his catwalk debut on Day 1 and, oh my, what a debut it was. Ives has garnered a reputation for his more sustainable approach to designer fashion by consistently reworking and restyling vintage clothes in an effort to give them new and prolonged life. This much was evident in his debut as a number of iconic Y2K staples were present throughout the show, not least with the abundance of plastic gemstones and loose, low-rise jeans.
The show carried a casual, yet still graceful, aura with a lot of attitude to boot. This seamless blend of casual elegance and refined edge gave the show lashings of personality which truly made it stand apart from the other shows present. Eras from the aforementioned Y2K through to 70s vintage were combined creating a glorious melting pot of looks that were both extremely familiar yet wondrously fresh at the same time.
Bora Aksu
Speaking of different eras and vintage clothing Bora Aksu took LFW all the way back to the 14th Century for his collection. Can you really get more vintage than that? Set in the 19th Century church in Pimlico, Bora Aksu’s collection served as a tribute to the Italian poet, writer and historian Christine de Pizan whose works have come to be regarded as some of the world’s earliest feminist writings. This is, of course, all evident in the clothes as the collection which was led by some gloriously Victorian-era dresses adorned with huge, puffy sleeves, neckties and ribbons, and plenty of lace material.
The show didn’t purely focus on the Victorian though as it also combined a number of 90s grunge elements too. Speaking to Vogue Runway, Bora Aksu said “We wanted to take Christine and bring her into the 1990s” continuing “We took that early Renaissance look and toughened it up a bit.” A glorious time warp of a collection!
Edward Crutchley
Heralded as exploring the intersection between the Gothic and the queer Edward Crutchley’s extravaganza kept its promise and delivered a fabulously dark and dramatic spectacle. Whilst there were only 21 looks on show, with some even having digital variants ready to go, each one was dripping with the 80s tinged personality with a combination of gothic, more subdued monochromatic pieces starring alongside exuberant gowns and jumpsuits in a stunning array of luscious pinks, purples, and blues.
Taking inspiration from an eclectic mix of Rick Owens, Giorgio Armani, and Romeo Gigli the collection was also not afraid of being sensual with some looks featuring more skin than actual clothing but done so tastefully and incredibly playfully. Combine all of this with a collection of accessories with just the right balance of subtle and extravagant, such as ludicrously long pink nails and shimmering tiaras, and you have a collection bold, beautiful and boundary-breaking. Strike a pose!
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