London Fashion Week has finally come to a close. The week was filled with regular established designers as well as fresh new faces and ideas. From discovering Helen Kirkum’s upcycling process to Yuhan Wang’s juxtaposition of femininity and danger, let’s get into the roundup of some of our favourite shows and presentations this season at London Fashion Week.
EDWARD CRUTCHLEY’S HORNS
Presenting us with a monochromatic show, Edward Crutchley’s FW23 collection took inspiration from 15th century silhouettes modernised with the use of graphics inspired by Richard Breton’s “The Drolatic Dreams of Pantagruel”. There were merino wool sweaters and oversized jackets with sharp shoulders, but what really stole the show was the unexpected codpiece seen on a male model and on a female model’s bra.
ENDLESS SHOES AT HELEN KIRKUM
For her FW23 collection titled ‘Step Back’, Helen Kirkum invited us to do just that. Lines and lines of old and used shoes filled up a room with just a few Helen Kirkum Studio upcycled shoes placed on their respective boxes. To make just one pair of upcycled shoes is no easy feat as it requires countless old pairs. If we learnt one thing from Kirkum this season is next time you’ve worn out a pair of shoes, donate them instead of just throwing them away.
YUHAN WANG’S WOMAN IS DANGEROUS
Yuhan Wang gave us big Kill Bill energy this season, especially with a yellow motorcycle inspired jacket. Exploring the juxtaposition of delicate femininity and danger, Yuhan Wang offered lots of florals, found on skirts, tops and dresses, while some models walked down with a katana in their hand. We also saw a faux-fur jacket reminiscent of Cruella Deville’s iconic piece and lots of ruched dresses.
ANCUTA SARCA’S DOUBLE VISION
We saw double at Ancuta Sarca’s FW23 presentation. Showing off six looks in similar pairs, the Romanian designer offered us black hooded dresses, skin-tight long sleeve white dresses and two similar thin-strapped denim dresses. The presentation also shows Sarca’s collaborative effort with Lee® to upcycling old denim and Nike. Where this presentation really shined was through its footwear, where faux-fur boots and denim clogs were seen.
UNTITLAB GAVE US DUNGEON VIBES
Debuting its LFW appearance, Untitlab’s FW23 presentation titled “introspection” offered a live performance from the models which lasted 2 hours. Set in an old church’s burial grounds, the collection explored human emotions and individuality through movement. Elements of queer fashion were found through a black hooded coat and drastic makeup, as well as presenting some motorcycle-inspired leather pieces.
ROKER TOOK US POLE DANCING
Inspired by the clubs surrounding the East London atelier, Roker explored the craft of pole dancing. Featuring many sky-high platform heels, some knee-high while others were thigh-high, the collection captured queer intimacy through the dance practice. The whole performance was captured by filmmaker Luca Asta, known for their work aimed to dismantle heteronormativity and traditionally accepted binaries.
SINEAD GOREY’S COWGIRL SALON
If there’s one designer that showed us a good time, it was Sinead Gorey. Heading straight to the Wild Wild West, the designer made her debut solo presentation in a saloon filled with cowboy, or rather cowgirl-inspired pieces. The garments were bold and vibrant, such as a beaded neon yellow dress or pink-overexposed female figure with heart-covered nipples found on a blue mini dress, and the models danced and rode fake horses to the sounds of Hotel California by the Eagles and many other great American hits.
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