LFW A/W 2015

  London fashion week holds a special place in my heart. Not only because it's where I currently live, but also because there's always a rebellious spirit in the air. Home to the most experimental, dark and beautiful brands in the world, London truly stands out from the other fashion weeks not only in it's outlandishness, but also in it's ability to celebrate true talent. Here are my favorite shows of the season. 

  Mother of Pearl, like Delpozo, was one of my favorite collections last season. What’s great about these types of brands, that aren’t household names yet, is that you get to see them grow and flourish before your very eyes. It was therefore especially amazing to see Mother of Pearl complete its first collection without the assistance of an artist, and yet still retain the artistry. The show married sporty silhouettes to grungy floral prints while still retaining an effervescent cool that’s rarely seen in the A/W shows. Particularly interesting was the outerwear, with silhouettes ranging from short bombers to ankle grazing coats. It was a lot to put into one show, but there still existed a clear train of thought connecting each look to the other. Amy Powney showed London that she doesn’t need an artist to help, because she is one. 

  Christopher Kane has finally opened a flagship store in London. As amazing as that may sound it also puts into play the effect of commercialization, which plagues most designers today, and threatens to tame their creativity. So, naturally, I was a bit apprehensive before this show, because I thought Kane would lose his edge. I was proven completely wrong. The collection Kane put out was extremely daring and out there, with blatantly sexual (the words electric orgasm were mentioned) references and starkly different fabrics. The colors alone were to die for, but what was really amazing were the figures sketched out in blue red and white he put on the clothes. The fabric choices were almost fetishistic, with loads of velvet, leather, lace and fur. The collection could have easily gone overboard but Kane smartly utilized a restrained (almost innocent) silhouette, with high necklines, ruffles and flowing skirts.  Kane played on the notion that sex sells, and by the looks of it, he’ll sell well. 

  The mood at Erdem was even more bohemian than usual. Now, I’m not a fan of boho, but when it’s done as glamorously as this, and with an insane woman as a muse, I’m down. Erdem dreamed up a fantastical creature, inspired by the art installation “The Collector” by Helly Nahmad. In this installation, an extravagantly overcluttered apartment is shown, portraying what it looks like when personality spills from inside us into the outside world. Depicting a woman’s fall from grace and sanity never seemed so beautiful, with an ombre coat going from restricted black into a satin pink, almost literally depicting a descent into madness. The frayed edges of the dresses mirrored a frayed personality, bursting at the seams. Feminine and graceful silhouettes were paired with almost utilitarian outerwear and accessories, showing the stark contract of life before and after the fall. Erdem works best when he has a clear figure to design for, and this collection proved particularly strong. 

  Gareth Pugh has come home. After several years of playing the away field, Pugh decided to play home, and return to his roots, both literally and stylistically. With sacrifice on his mind, Pugh showed a dark collection inspired by the brutish side of Great Britain, with face paint mimicking the warriors of days past or perhaps even the football fans of today. Pugh may be singular in his choice of color, but he makes up for it in his choices of fabric and silhouette. Oversized tailoring warped the models bodies into proportions that seemed almost protective. Pugh is unique in the fact that only he can show a collection involving both a Mongolian fur coat and a dress made out of straws and still make it work. The show closed with a literal waving of the flag, as one should when they claim victory.

Men's A/W 2015 : 2

  Kane has always had an eye for geometry, and never has it been so cool and calculated as in his fall 2015 menswear collection. With prints that would make a calculator blush, and silhouettes so sharp they could cut diamond, this collection is an evolution in minimalism. The mixing of prints seems effortless and almost perfect, with the trouser cuts just above the ankle preserving a line so clean it could have been measured out by a ruler. However, don’t let the clean cut fabric deceive you, the man in Kane is not one to play by the rules, he defies the nonplussed ease of today and goes that extra mile to look different. In my book, that’s something to strive for. 

  The reviews were not amazing for the Costume National collection. The brand has become recognized for its defined aesthetic approach, but this collection seemed almost chaotic in nature. Sure, as style.com says the polos over a turtleneck weren’t amazing, but that is the eye of a critic. In my opinion, although the collection as a whole wasn’t mind-blowing, there were a lot of looks that were. The play with masculine elements paired with feminine pieces proved for a lesson in rock androgyny. The sleek slim scarves proved as an antecedent to the bulky almost blanket like ones of today, and to be honest, I wanted one. Who knew a pairing between 50’s screen siren and 70’s rock icon could work so well? In my opinion, Costume National should just continue doing what they’re famous for – breaking the mould for what is normal and tasteful to become unique and outrageous.  

 Uniform-inspired and fall menswear have become synonymous. It’s a dreary show when yet another designer decides that he’s going to reinvent the men’s uniform before snow starts grazing the ground. However, Craig Green took an old idea and made it new. His show was as much a fashion show as it was a performance piece. With several distinct looks made in three distinct colors (manufacturers are going to love it), the designer took uniform and made it almost emotive and fragile. Once again loose trousers were present, as were androgynous shapes. In particular a cut-out sweater open at the sternum (Where Craig says the soul comes out of in cartoons) served almost as a counterpart to the midriff baring womens trend. It’s the kind of clothing a poet would wear in 2050, but like a serious poet, who you actually listen to, not unlike Craig Green himself really.

  Clockwork Orange is one of my favorite films. Not going to lie, it even influenced my university choice partly, as parts of it were filmed in my own lecture hall. As you would imagine then, I loved this collection. Marjan Pejoski usually designs the kind of clothing I like, but paired with one of my favorite references, it killed. Although I’d never wear a bowler hat (not for lack of trying), the punk-tribal aesthetic really spoke to what I think fashion should be: rebellious, creative and flattering. Playing with print, color and patches may seem a bit chaotic, but it all made sense at KTZ. Especially interesting was the mix of houndstooth and tribal markings, really taking the organized chaos theme to a new level. The pathes with the faces of dictators like Lenin could have seemed overboard, but just managed to teeter on the edge between artistic and trashy. All in all, Pejoski is a designer to watch, and here’s hoping you’ll be seeing these pieces on the blog again. 

Till Sunday - Alex