Evocative, sensual and hedonistic – three pillars on which the latest 16Arlington collection revolved. But in contrast to the party-fuelled aesthetic that brands such as Masha Popova and Poster Girl have been pushing this week, 16Arlington’s take on the party was more demure and glamorous: combining high fashion sensibilities with the bejewelled aesthetics of a great night out.
Titled Forget Me Not, the collection guaranteed to do what it says on the tin, thanks to the abundance of wearable yet aspirational fabrics, textures and silhouettes it produced. We saw the brand’s take on ‘power shoulders’ – a bulging dropped shoulder which added structure and new lines to dresses, jackets and tops. Elsewhere, hemlines were daringly short and left raw: these were outfits for the ultimate walk of shame – if you wanted to shame everyone else’s fashion with your ‘fit.
High-necked minidresses appeared alongside floor-skimming satin coats: the 16Arlington woman is refined, dynamic, and always down for a good time. Keep reading to focus in on some of the looks we can’t stop thinking about.
CRAZY FOR THE CRYSTAL (TRENCH)
Although show lighting is notoriously bright and glaring, it does deliver on its intended purpose of showing each design in all their glory: making details pop, sparkles shine, and hardware glimmer. Nowhere was this more appreciated than with 16Arlington’s (many) crystal diamante offerings – our favourite of which being this leather trench. Contrasting harsh and soft, heavy and light, this made everyone’s head turn to follow it as it made its way down the runway.
CHECKED RAW-HEM MINI
Details, details. Whilst we’ve seen many minidresses on the catwalks in London, 16A’s raw hems and unusual necklines stood out from the crowd. Mixing workwear fabrics with more dynamic hemlines, there’s never been a better time to hit after-work drinks (and roll back into work in yesterday’s outfit).
DISTRESSED & OBSESSED
We’ve been fans of the distressed leather trend for a while now – and 16Arlington’s sculptural additions just added to our obsession. Exploring bleaching, cracking and pleating, this jacket and mini skirt set was definitely one of the highlights of the collection. Pair it with the matching mules and you’ve got yourself a serious look.
STRUCTURED SATIN
This collection explored contradictions in its expansive use of textures. Off the back of the harsh moto-aesthetic of the distressed leather came this look in head to toe satin. Displaying the designer’s accomplished grasp of tailoring, proportion and movement. Get you a suit that can do both.
LONG LEATHER LUX
Sometimes simple is best – especially when you’ve perfected simplicity. This dress had a hint of Rick in it – with heavy sheen, raw cuts, and the perfect canvas upon which to accessorise. This look had to be included for its sheer impact on the runway; a powerful moment of blackout in the midst of the other crystal offerings.
See also: POSTER GIRL WAS THE CLOSEST LFW IS GETTING TO A PARTY
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