Article by Cleo Boland for NBGA Mag
Published here on September 25, 2018
That’s a wrap! London fashion week is over and we’re still drooling over Jazzelle Zanaughtti in a see-through slip, and just about every outfit from Burberry. If you wish to be in the fashion news loop, check out our list of killer collections from this London season below!
Alexa Chung
British fashion icon, Alexa Chung debuted her namesake label at London Fashion Week 2018. This is also the first time Chung showcased her line after launching it in 2017. Her 2019 ready to wear spring/summer collection was largely based on the jet-setter lifestyle and British airports, titled ‘Arrivals and Departures’. “I wanted it to be a fantasy airport where all these different characters are popping up.” says Chung. Postcards detailing travel destinations were printed onto slogan tees. Several vacation-inspired pieces such as Hawaiian print shirts, puff jackets and aviator jumpsuits made an appearance.
Erdem
Erdem Moralioglu debuted his 46 piece ready to wear Spring 2019 collection, drawing inspiration from Victorian-era fashion and from famous crossdressers of that time. Erdem’s pieces are unique, using both ultra feminine and masculine features. Dresses were made over exaggerated with its use of large shoulder pads, puffed sleeves, colourful floral prints and flared skirts. The use of flowy, translucent fabrics seem to evoke a feminine appeal while the veil sported by some of the models drew a sense of mystery. ““It was the idea of people in a very conservative time dressing to be who they were and who they felt they were fundamentally,” says Erdem of his collection.
Ashish
Designer Ashish Gupta invited us to what looked like the chicest house party, his Spring 2019 show at London Fashion Week. The show was set to resemble an underground fete with the floor covered in pieces of carpet and vinyl, boys dancing on podiums and a DJ set with stacked speakers.
Gupta, known for his fabulously eccentric garments, did not disappoint with this season’s presentation. The designer created a colourful collection of billowing silhouettes, sequined minidresses and sheer jumpsuits perfect for your next all-night rave. Gupta brought sparkle and neon to the runway dance party, as well as touches of the 90s with short tracksuits and sequin camo, making it a night that you want to remember the next morning.
Simone Rocha
A fan favourite of celebrities such as Rihanna, Simone Rocha debuted her Spring 2019 collection at London Fashion Week, drawing inspiration from her Chinese heritage, “I found the paintings in an antique market in Hong Kong, they were an interpretation of the original. And we decided to interpret them ourselves. We did our own paintings similar to the ones I’d found and we used those for the clothes.” says Rocha of the inspiration leading to her collection. Dresses were modelled to styles of the Tang Dynasty with large, stiff, A-line tops paired with a bottom reminiscent of Paul Poiret’s ‘hobble skirt’. Models wore large, wide brimmed hats with a hovering veil, similar to those worn during the Tang dynasty.
Halpern
New York fashion designer, Michael Halpern pushed fashion boundaries with his Spring 2019 collection, drawing inspiration from political events of the past year. Dresses were adorned with glitzy, metallic sequins and bold colour choices, making a large statement on the runway. “This idea of inappropriate glamour, or of questioning what is too much in fashion, or goes too far…” says Halpern of his collection. “What’s going on in with women and politics has pushed me to want to make a statement with what I design.” Halpern is a celebrity favourite with stars such as Lupita Nyong’o, Amal Clooney and Marion Cotillard wearing his designs.
Christopher Kane
Scottish designer Christopher Kane brought a refreshing amalgamation of sex and sensibility on the runway for his Spring 2019 collection at London Fashion Week.
Kane’s collection included many structural elements that evoke a more sophisticated and mature sense of dressing with high necklines, padded-shoulder blazers and puff sleeves. However the designer seemed torn between sense and sexuality with additions of short hemlines, sheer fabrics and entirely lace garments. There were even graphic tees with provocative slogans like “sexual cannibalism” and “foreplay” to add to the theme.
The collection is not confusion from Kane but a suggestion that we should be sexually free in all our choices, including fashion. Asserting dominance by allowing ourselves to be armoured with clothing and still showing off our sexuality with short skirts and sheer bodices.
Kane served a collection of empowerment for these recent troubled times.
JW Anderson
Once again, Jonathan Anderson (JW Anderson) reprised his collaboration with Converse at his SS19 London Fashion Week show. His 57 collection was inspired by the idea of movement and fluidity, with models sporting simple, asymmetrical, layered dresses paired with sporty sneakers and colour blocked boots. ““Clothing comes to life through the idea of walking. It has to be seen in motion. That is what clothing is about,” he says. Dresses were loose-fitting and flowy, evoking a sense of freedom and resilience. The colour palette was neutral using muted teal, navy and coral hues.
Victoria Beckham
One of our favourite Brits, Victoria Beckham brought her brand back home with her Spring 2019 presentation at London Fashion Week. The designer marked the 10th anniversary of her expanding brand and the show was quite symbolic. Beckham emphasized the importance of women and inclusiveness. She has created a brand that strives to embrace all women, regardless of age, and celebrates being different.
Beckham desired to create something for every kind of woman and her collection has successfully done just that. From neutral pant-suits, and patterned blazers to lace camisoles, and knit dresses, the designer has made various pieces to accommodate the everyday woman in everyday life.
The show opened with British model icon, Stella Tennant and Beckham’s message during the show was thought provoking: “be who you are…that’s what this is about — empowering women through fashion.”
Pushbutton
South Korea is creating a buzz in Europe with its emerging designers and one of these is the Seoul based Seung Gun Park with his brand pushBUTTON. Although Gun Park has been a sensation in South-Korea for several years, he debuted his SS19 collection at London Fashion Week for the very first time, introducing his creative designs to the Western world. Gun Park showed off unique creations like one-legged pants, wide shoulders and asymmetrical silhouettes with an oversized aesthetic characterizing the collection. With this fun and youthful edge, pushBUTTON is definitely a brand to keep on your watch list.
Burberry
Ever since the first announcement of Riccardo Tisci’s debut for Burberry, there has been a lot of anticipation regarding what direction he would bring to the British fashion house. Earlier this year, Tisci took to Instagram to tease his upcoming collection by posting images from the Burberry archives showing some of the fashion house’s signature pieces like the trenchcoat, the quilted jacket and the kilt. This suggested that Tisci would take Burberry back to its roots with classic design and traditional elements. At London Fashion Week the collection was finally ready to be seen by the public eye, and it was everything we hoped for and more.
Not only did Tisci bring back Burberry’s heritage with timeless and tailored design pieces in the well known all-beige colour palette, he also created a distinctive personalized twist; introducing his love for contemporary athletic wear into the Burberry brand. As the show continued, the clean and chic aesthetics transformed into edgy statement pieces representing British pop culture at its best. Traditional Britain meets modern society Britain. Old meets new. Tisci meets Burberry.
