London Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2018: The Selection
The London Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2018 has just passed.
Nostalgia; Were the pre-Brexit times better?
Respect to the female body with layers of clothing; perhaps, the #MeToo campaign is finally trickling down in all sectors of society. The initiative #PositiveFashion did help and I do hope it remains in the minds of the Fashion industry and consumers.
A revisit to Britishness from different contexts: be it in History; be it digging up in their own collections. We went up and down all over London and this is our selection for Escapadas.UK Mag.
Mulberry
Mulberry chose the mansion of Spencer House in St James’s to present a quintessential British show full of cleverly calculated eccentricities flooded by ultraviolet hues. An electrifying performance by Goldfrapp achieved a show to perfection. For the first time, Mulberry has employed a see-now-buy-now model, allowing the entire collection to be purchased immediately after the show. Johny Coca has matured into a confident, utterly original and timeless collection. As he comments:
“Archetypes of Englishness, Edwardiana, Ascot Ladies’ Day, garden parties, the great tradition of tea in fine bone china. Pastimes from another time, to inspire a collection for the present. Key patterns are drawn from the painted florals that adorn English china services, and the classic multi-coloured stripes of seaside deckchairs in a colour palette of faded blush, antique blue, dusty yellow and a vibrant field green. It’s essential to make things to pass down. We are always creating our own heritage.”
Passavant and Lee
Passavant and Lee was recommend it to me by a fashion insider and did not disappoint. A superbly crafted series of leather accessories such a handbags and small luggages that combined utter beauty and durability. One just want to grab them and explore the world! It was launched in 2014 by Jon Passavant and Benj Lee. An American and an Englishman — who forged a friendship traveling the globe modeling for some of the fashion industry’s biggest brands — before creating their own product line that carried the spirit of each of their home countries.
When asked why they wanted to make the presentation in London, they said the following:
“Passavant and Lee is a luxury brand merging innovative design and traditional British craftsmanship for the modern traveler. Whilst we design from the US all our products are handmade in London and so we were thrilled to be showcasing our latest collection during London Fashion Week.”
Zeynep Kartal
Zeynep Kartal launched her eponymous label the beginning of 2013, following more than twenty years of experience in the fashion industry. She has been making waves in the celebrity filled red carpets of the uk, and wowing the catwalks of london’s fashion week with her elegant silhouettes and modern lines sought after by a growing number of british & international celebrities.
Zeynep kartal creates a distinctive sense of elegance and femininity using the finest fabrics including natural silk, crepe, lace and lurex silk hand-made embellishments. Her pieces have a distinctive sense of femininity and superb tailoring. Zeynep’s aim is to encourage women to find their own style and to feel confident in their appearance. ‘zeynep kartal’s’ signature style is effortless and sophisticated elegance.
Leonie Mergen
For the brands new collection, called “AW18 THE ARIF AZIZ EDITION», the Berlin-based designer Leonie Mergen has referenced the work of the artist Arif Aziz, in particular the artwork comprising his white period from 1992–93. Aziz is renowned for his abstract and experimental art that has spanned a career of nearly 50 years. Megen’s interpretations of the artists work evident throughout her new collection, feature experimental patterns that underline the impressive scope of fantasy and fiction in the work of Arif Aziz. The fresh display of selected pieces within the new collection opens up a whole new dimension of interpretation and appreciation of this artist’s lifework within a minimalist aesthetic which makes the collection rather appealing in an image overwhelmed world.
Merchant Archive
The Merchant Archive AW18 collection centres around a blanket, found on the last page of a childrens book Sophie Merchant reads to her one year old daughter each night. The Paper Dolls, by Julia Donaldson. This is a lead on from the Pre-Collection, which is inspired by the book. A patchwork blanket is the starting point for this collection. Colours imagined
in hues created with the help of the passage of time. The loving hands of a kindly grandmother. These muted tones are interspersed with inspired punches interjected from a 1930s crochet cushion found in a market in Somerset. Knitwear is reintroduced this season in cashmere blends, using four knit stitches to create a patchwork with arun references. Print in this collection speaks of the journey the paper dolls take in the book, a landscape painting in colours of the collection. The childlike reference is introduced through print in the form of a dab dot painterly spot as if created by a child hand. This collection considers the naivety of the start of life and the wisdom of later years. The extraordinary connection between the two.
Shapes as ever are both full and fluid with refined historical references.
From the archive
Burberry
Christopher Bailey’s farewell show displayed a selection inspired by previous collections with a blink to a positive future of inclusivity and respect for each other. The LGBTQ+ rainbow, an emblem for optimism and inclusiveness, featured prominently across the brand’s February 2018 collection, rooted in the introduction of a new Rainbow check, the latest iteration of Burberry’s most iconic symbol. Radiant abstract palettes swam in a theatrically orchestrated multisensory installation created by United Visual Artists (UVA). Cara Delevingne triumphantly closed the show in a rainbow-striped, check-lined cape amid a dazzling laser display. As Bailey says:
‘My final collection here at Burberry is dedicated to — and in support of — some of the best and brightest organisations supporting LGBTQ+ youth around the world. There has never been a more important time to say that in our diversity lies our strength, and our creativity.’
Dior
Finally, from Paris, Dior mainly in black and white, optical games and illusions: the décor of the haute couture spring-summer 2018 reflected the Surrealist inspirations of the collection designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri. Dreamlike shapes, distorting effects, hide and seek games recreated an eveningwear to have fun. Utter beauty that I highly recommend.
