Daisy Lowe, the model and daughter of Pearl Lowe, chose the Ashley Williams show during London Fashion Week to show off her newly cropped hair. Replacing her signature long tresses with a Josephine Baker style chin length bob, we almost didn't recognise her as she took her place on the front row.
Joining her was Alice Delall who had been on the catwalk hours earlier at the Pam Hogg show - practically naked apart from a few strategically placed cavewoman bone details.
Alice during the Pam Hogg fashion show
Noticeably absent from the FROW 'squad' however was Alexa Chung - she was probably making last-minute adjustments to her debut SS19 catwalk show which was taking place later that day. The LFW regular launched her own label in May last year with an off schedule show, and is a big fan and friend of Ashley and regularly supports her and their other designer buddy Henry Holland at their London shows.
Held at House of Vans under the railway arches in Lambeth South London, the fashion crowd applauded models including Georgia May Jagger as they slinked down the runway tunnel to the sound of Enya (random, yes, but somehow appropriate). Models had neon pink and yellow spray painted hair which was slicked up into punky ‘Croydon Facelift’ style high ponytails. They were embellished with crystal hair clips emblazoned with slogans like ‘ Virgin’.
Clothes were Ashley’s usual mix of fun and rebellious. Shocking pink tiger stripe fleece tops, newsprint puff ball dresses and blouses, cardigans and tanks emblazoned with ‘tired and loving’ and tie dyed football socks worn with barely there sandals and black stilettos.
Crystal encrusted shades were held in place by logo’d neoprene bungee straps and the peplum skirt made a welcome return in metallic silver.
In fact, the eighties were the designer’s main inspiration and played across many of the rest of the shows during day one. From exaggerated puff sleeves, to peddle pushers, snakeskin and PVC, to tube skirts and power shoulders - they all made an appearance.
And as Madonna’s Borderline pumped out for the show finale we looked forward to another round of shows that feel as nostalgic as a school disco.
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