Contributed by – Duhin Ganju & Shefali Jauhar

(DAY – 5)

Day 5 of London Fashion Week ended on a ‘luxe’ note as designers showcased a rich array of bold garments that ranged from arty and quirky prints to rich textured lacy affairs. Uber-cool glam styles were used to define utterly feminine silhouettes that only mastered the female silhouette but also refined it. Black, being the frontrunner in every designer’s collection was innovatively matched with other bold pastels like red, burnt pink and dark aubergine.

Ashley Williams’ Fall collection was all about pairing retro glam fashion with pop art culture. Comic characters and abstract typographic fonts were emblazoned onto body-hugging garments like zipper strapless LBD’s and cashmere cardigans with built-up collars. A-line dresses with extravagant pleats were paired with studded pumps and chunky neckpieces. Asymmetrical dresses and turtleneck jumpers were matched with slim-fit trousers, followed by high-waisted mermaid skirts. Cropped tops and plunging dresses were crafted from rich patent leather and graphic-printed shirts and cutout stockings. Warm cabans and leather coats with exaggerated shawl lapels were line extravagantly with super-authentic fabrics like shearling and mink. Flowy jumpsuits were banded to perfection and micro-mini skirts, crafted from fine tulle, had intricate meshwork done on them. Off-shoulder tunics were the major standouts from the show, paired perfectly with mink-lined hats. The color palette consisted of bold pastels like black, baby pink, beige and hints of lemon yellow.

Ashley William

Moving onto Anya Hindmarch, known to be inspired by things often overlooked, took to a theme based on traffic symbols called ‘Diversion’. The collection mainly comprised of bold colors like red, cobalt blue, olive green, grey and white. The focus was primarily paid on bold prints both textual and symbolic. From jumpsuits with ‘Men at work’ symbols, funnel-neck tops and skirts with ‘Free Delivery’ prints, shearling coats with ‘North, South’ symbols to name a few. The designer put up quite a quirky collection on the runway with equal attention was paid on accessories like bags. Similar bold prints like ‘Go, Men at Work, No U-Turn’ accessorized with trucks, traffic cone key chains made their appearances on the runway.

Anya Hindmarc

Michael Van Der Ham’s AW collection was inspired by American artist, Andy Warhol as garments contained multi-fabricated layers and modern shapes referencing from the by-gone era. A-line dresses and boat-neck gowns contained intricate embroidery done on sheer panels of gauzy fabrics like silk organza and tulle. Pleated skirts crafted from rich crepe were paired with crinkled silk shirts, followed by puffed-up dresses with intense print work. Fitted tunics were carefully appliquéd with floral motifs and lace embroidery as each look was elegantly feminine and radiated utmost subtlety. Slouchy overcoats were patched with square-cut fabrics, followed by intense beadwork embroidery. Satin blouses were crinkled at the neck and paired with wrap-up skirts crafted from glitzy tweed and shimmery tulle. Models were drenched in a very colorful palette that consisted subtle colors like burgundy, mustard, lavender-blue, plum red, black and off-white.

Michael van der Ha

Next in the line-up was Marques’Almeida, whose collection was colorful as multitudes of reds, yellows, blues, greens and splashes of other colors stormed the runway. The young and upcoming label’s collection had a wacky aesthetic with a vibe of the 90s’. The designer showed versatility in fabric choices from luxurious shearling to daily denims. The silhouettes were relaxed.  Apart from denims shown in asymmetric dresses, slashed jeans and tops, the collection also incorporated metallic, layered sheer and print-on-print ensembles. The looks were accessorized with white canvas shoes, knee-length boots and pointed-toe flats.

Marques'Almeid

Christopher Raeburn, Creative Director for Victorianox, showcased a collection that was carefully structured with a warm and wintery aesthetic. With bold usage of colors like tangerine, steel grey, khaki and navy blue; models walked the runway wearing shearling-lined leather boots and weatherproof holdhalls. From rich duffle coats to bold asymmetric ponchos, slouchy woolen tees and high-sleet skirts were an absolute must-have. Abstract-print jumpsuits were worn under notched overcoats with a glitzy silver lining. Jumbo fringed scarves were accessorized with tweed Chesterfields and quilted zipper jackets. With a very chic military aesthetic, models walked in puffer turtleneck jackets and weatherproof bell-shaped cabans. A lot of attention was paid while crafting knitted accessories like slouchy hats and clasping belts that complimented each and every fashionable look.

Christopher Raebur

Also, Tata Naka’s collection possessed a quirky, ultra-modern feel with an oriental touch. The designer’s witty use of color and pattern made his garments stand out with each having its own identity. Initially garments presented had floral prints with a recurring dragon motif in them. Some of the pieces even combined all the individual prints into one funky ensemble. Equal amount of attention was also paid in the garment-construction process, which was evident in the sharp silhouettes and cuts of the garments.  The striped tailored jacket and pant ensemble, a fitted peplum shirt and skirt to a fitted sheer top with a printed skirt were a few examples. The collection soon started merging towards bold color-blocks in contrasting colors. Towards the end, the ensembles got arty with portraits painted onto tailored jackets, fan skirts, thigh-slit skirts. Red lips with bangs and a high-bun kept the overall look chic and contemporary.

Tata Nak

Then came, Spanish-based Emilio De La Morena, who showcased a sensually feminine collection that mainly focused on sexy cocktail looks by modernizing old and obscure craftsmanship techniques. Reinforcing a glamorous persona, each model strutted the runway wearing off-shoulder form-fitting dresses that were gilded with gold brocade and extra-soft velvet. Slouchy single-breasted overcoats were matched with asymmetrical tunic dresses that were adorned with intricate lace linings. Strapless sequined gowns with daring high-slits were matched perfectly with pointy platforms and lambskin leather gloves. Tapered skirts and velvet blouses were worn with oversized mink cabans as well as tailored coats containing a vivid zigzag pattern. Scoop-neck dresses and plunging numbers had vertical layers of intricate lace as a lot of attention and detail was paid on the cuts and pattern work adorned on each glam outfit. The color palette consisted of glitzy pastels like steel silver, gilded gold, deep ombré, ink blue and jet black with hints of deep burgundy and royal purple.

Emilio de la Moren

Ashish’s collection was inspired by Jane Fonda’s role in Klute. As the theme suggests, the garments showcased had high sex appeal as models strutted the runway in shiny red leather lace-ups, which complemented the red lips. It featured cameo-bombers along with lots of denim and fur. Fur was used in sleeves and collars while jackets and skirts featured patchwork of animal fur stuck to metal pins to add an element of opulence and edginess. A lot of red sequined embellishments were also used. The patchwork fur top with SEX emblazoned on it definitely grabbed eyeballs. The collection had tones of trash-glamour but in a more opulent way.

Ashis

Next was Ryan Lo whoseromantic fantasy, unconventional designs and artisanal crafts acquired a new level of sophistication as a modern wardrobe was formed on the runway. From structured coats with extravagant mink lining to jaw-dropping A-line dresses, a lot of textured floral motifs were emblazoned onto the uber-cool garments. Straight-fit cashmere cardigans were paired with high-slit flowy skirts crafted from dégradé silk and English lace. Tunic dresses were appliquéd with floral motifs and a lot of uni-linear embroidery could be seen done on richly crafted garments, embodying the female silhouette. Plunging dresses and scoop-neck spaghetti tops were layered extravagantly with super soft fur as each look was paired with textured thigh-high boots as well as pointy pumps. Models were enveloped in a sober color palette that consisted of pastels like burnt copper, deep magenta, ink blue, off-white and lavender.

Ryan L

Concluding with Hakaan Yildirim, whose collection oozed power and masculinity as models in form-fitting ensembles strutted the runway. The color palette was minimal with red, teal, white, black and baby-pink outfits showcased in the collection. Simplicity was maintained in terms of detail while primary focus was paid on the drapes and the angular cuts of the garments. The collection embodied a sense of luxury with shearling and leather dominating the looks. Some of the outfits that stood out in this collection were the strapless leather jumpsuit, the red fitted leather dress with a thigh-slit, and the ankle-length baby Pink shearling coat and the winged-tip teal coat with flap pockets. The makeup was kept clean with plain glossy lips and tied hair.

H by Hakaan Yildiri