London Fashion Week got off to a storming start yesterday with the boldest and brightest designers unveiling their AW18 collections. Here’s HFM’s round-up of the best….
Richard Malone
The Irish designer kicked off LFW with an array of strong shapes, colours and… rolls of carpet! Inspired by a cast of Del Boy style traders gathered around a pub table, Richard took us on a journey around the market stalls of working class towns of his youth. The models carried net shoppers (minus the fruit and veg) in luminous shades of orange and red, complimented by structured leather boots and moulded shoulders with sculpted swirls. Traders voices boomed over the soundtrack, skewed by models stalking along to Rihanna’s Bitch Better Have My Money!
The fabrics were fluid in movement but perfectly tailored in paintbox shades of red, blue and green and sustainably sourced from a community of Indian weavers who have worked with Malone since his graduation collection. Almost no seams were cut straight to ensure the smoothest lines around the body, making the garments cling to the skin in an elegant yet modern way. The make-up was simple and understated - the emphasis on flushed cheeks to give an outdoorsy feel, with most models sporting bonnets in various prints to match their look. Print and colour clashing is a big theme for the season, broken up with peek-a-boo shoulder cut-outs for added femininity. The front row hosted blogger Susie Bubble and model-of-the-moment Adwoa Aboah alongside the fashion industries finest. All-in-all a pretty stellar way to start #LFW.
Fyodor Golan
This season the designer's collection was focussed on ‘journeys upwards.’ Inspiration was taken from everything from mountaineering to aerodynamics. Billowing parachute silk dresses that trailed like partially delated hot air balloons wowed the audience. Neon cable ties and map contour line prints met PVC, cable knit and rainbow stripes in a clever modern mash-up. Colour combos were strong with curve balls like lilac, orange, black and yellow.
Retro sport wear references could be seen on everything from the bold shell suits, faux fur lined hoodies and metallic backless trainers. Continuing the flight theme, sleeves were trimmed with bright Marabou feathers which floated as the models stomped to Tears For Fears ‘Shout, Shout Let It All Out’ lyrics. There were glitter go faster stripes and asymmetric hemlines in a collection which juxtaposed light and heavy, bold and feminine and practicality with indulgence. We loved the duo’s artful mixed messages.
Ryan Lo
Returning to presentation format, Ryan Lo showcased his AW18 collection in the powder pink gallery of Mayfair's Sketch restaurant. Lo's make-believe world encompassed 6 models and 20 mannequins from French Maids, to decadent Marie-Antoinette style characters. The look was very pretty - think chevron striped pastel nightgowns that trail the floor but with a sub-story going on...a contrast between prim and proper Princess Margaret and the eccentricity of ladies who sit in cafes and drink absinthe. Black and white dominated in flapper and beaded dresses with a smattering of girlish pastels.
Continuing an ongoing collaboration with milliner Stephen Jones, Yayoi Kusama-inspired pumpkin berets in a glitter candy palette sat a top models heads. While other notable accessories included lace opera length gloves that hark back to Victorian etiquette.
Beauty
In a world of low-key, ‘barely-there’ beauty, you can always count on Ryan Lo to bring the fun. And where nail art usually takes a back seat, it out in full force backstage. Mani maestro Marian Newman created an Insta-worthy mix of statement combinations (for models and mannequins). ‘It’s prim and proper ladies who lunch, versus crazy dim sum girls – but all the nails have holographic details going on’. On the eccentric styles, Marian mastered an ombre effect mixing different pastels from the new CND Nails Vinylux, Chic Shock collection. ‘Pale pastels don’t just have to be for summer. What you put on your nails shouldn't be dictated by the season – it's about what makes you happy’. We couldn’t agree more Marian.
Bora Aksu
Celebrating his 15 years on the London catwalk the designer’s collection drew inspiration from Margaret Ann Bulkley a woman who went against the grain of Georgian polite society to become a surgeon, forced to disguise as a man in order to practice. This ladylike softness and contrasting masculine reserve proved an interesting combination. Sheer organza ruffled and tired dresses in soft lilacs and white shared the catwalk with navy tailoring. Delicate slip dresses and velvet ribbons josselled with striped boating blazers and cullottes. High low hems made an appearance on chiffon dresses and the Georgian references could be seen in bow neckties, mourning jackets and lace up booties.
Beauty
Pretty pastels may dominate clothes and if Bora Aksu’s show is anything to go by then you can guarantee they will adorn our eyelids come autumn too. But this incarnation is more tough than cutesy. ‘She’s an eccentric woman who’s a bit dishevelled because she’s been out marching for women’s rights’, explained Janeen Witherspoon of the designers muse. Firstly, a chunky line was drawn into the socket using MAC lip pencil in Galaxy Grey, £15.50 then a swoosh of lilac was painted over the line for an intense pop. Skin was refreshing different too. Glowy, dewy, contoured… all the usual buzzwords used to describe skin were eschewed for a more lived-in feel – think post-hike ruddy cheeks. Janeen’s top tip? Blend a creamy mauve hue into a triangular shape on the apples of the cheeks for an outdoorsy feel.
Marta Jakubowski
For AW18, the Marta Jakubowski woman is beautiful, empowered and ambitious - reminiscent of a 90s Supermodel the hair was bouncy, the shoulders held high and the waists cinched. Inspired by The Bodyguard, Christie Turlington and Cindy Crawford; Marta’s showcase was an uplifting celebration of female empowerment, all done with the signature Jakubowski twist. The collection paid homage to her late mother with a nod to professional dress - power-suiting, cashmere and knee-high boots, but often with subtle low cut reveals of lacy bras. The colour palette was awash with lilacs, camels and forest greens juxtaposed with Milk Tray purple, checks on check and vibrant pinks in swathes of ruffles and tulle. The result was practical yet chic, with the added glimmer of statement ear candy to bring us back to 2018 (they’re not going anywhere anytime soon!) think Pretty Woman on steroids. Each model beamed with personality, a hands on hips strut down the runway, including a pair twining in matching camel and shoulder pads, all bouncing curls and lipsticked smiles - a real fashion week ‘moment’. In the wake of the #MeToo movement Marta really took girl power to the runway, aptly serenaded by the sounds of Whitney Houston’s ‘I’m Every Woman’.
Mulberry
For us fashion folk, the Mulberry SS18 show is last season's news. Having already seen a glimpse of it in Paris 6 months ago, it came as a (very welcome) surprise to see the British heritage brand showing again on-schedule amongst the LFW AW18 shows. Joining the likes of Burberry and Tommy Hilfiger, the label now adopt a see-now-buy-now format, whereby the full collection will be available to buy instantly. Despite the slight change-up, it didn't make the show any less spectacular, with its Noel Stewart-designed hats and china-heel pumps (as seen in HFM's February issue) looking even better the second time around - alongside some additional 'easy to wear' final touches. As the models walked their final walk around the circular runway, the central mirror display rose to reveal a surprise live performance by electronic act Goldfrapp. Bravo Johnny Coca!
Ashley Williams
For LFW favourite Ashley Williams, securing a stellar front row isn’t difficult. The usual suspects were there to see her AW18 collection, including pals Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof, Clara Padgett and Grimmy - with mayor of London Sadiq Khan even making a surprise appearance. The show opened with Adowa Aboah clad in a simple ruffle day dress, with each look getting progressively more eclectic as each model stomped down the runway. The ‘Ashley Williams AW18 girl’ is set about exploring the UK and all it’s monolithic marvels, collecting clothing en route - starting with die dye dungarees, Patagonia style outerwear, neon fleeces and bucket hats, and ending with diamanté jewels and sexy sheer tulle and feather dresses. Where do we sign up - this sounds like our kind of trip!
Beauty
It’s safe to say, Ashley Williams show was always going to be an interesting one. Beauty-wise, MAC makeup pro Thomas de Kluyer staged an eighties comeback and made a serious case for red eyes. Citing pop icons Annie Lennox and Siouxsie Sioux as his muses, he said, ‘I love that these women used makeup to feel empowered and create a strong onstage presence'. To pay homage he paired powdery white skin with MAC’s fiery eyeshadow in Red Brick, £14, blended imperfectly into a near neon pink blush. An army of 12 girls had the full works, including a dark lip, penciled on with a kohl eyeliner and blackened with Retro Matte Lipcolor in Caviar, £18. There’s no room for wallflowers here – Ashley’s girls were unapologetically punk.
