Robyn Lynch has become one of the focal points of London Fashion Week – and rightly so. Last time we caught up with her, she was on the cusp of showing her latest collection which built out her brand’s relationship with Columbia – producing a line of technical outerwear jackets all imbued with signature Lynch design motifs. For this season though, Robyn drew back into her own brand: focusing more intently on the core pillars of heritage, family and elevated craftsmanship.
Speaking to us backstage, the designer recalled the starting point for the collection as being her mum’s souvenir tee from Mallorca. Sporting acid-smileys and touristy slogans, the aesthetic was one which could definitely be tapped into and progressed into a collection – but for Robyn, its beauty lay in the personal aspect of the proceedings – worn by her mum on a distant holiday, what could be perceived as ‘tacky’ holiday reminders became a vehicle for joy.
In the collection, this played out as a series of graphic tees which emphasised the same joyful spirit: bright and bold in colour, sporting location specific slogans, and instantly loveable. Taking a crab to reimagine a tongue-in-cheek tee from Brighton, Robyn Lynch elevated the humourous graphics with a high quality materiality – adding the crab motif into jacquard knits, forming mini embroideries on both jackets and trousers, and adding hints of nostalgia and playfulness to classic menswear silhouettes.
If this design recalled warm (ish) summer days at the beach, the other pieces followed suit; Lynch presented a towelling poncho in grey and blue iterations, alongside rounded hoodies (to imitate how it would look discarded on the beach) and crunchy nylon. The latter, semi-transparent and encouragingly tactile, worked to showcase the brand’s confidence in materiality whilst still catering to the collection’s core inspiration.
Elsewhere, there were reinterpretations of classic cable knits, as well as functional, utility-based pieces. Using Irish linen, the usual military connotations of cargo pants were transformed into pieces that would be as at home on the beaches of St. Tropez as they would be the piers of British seaside towns – in essence, fulfilling Lynch’s objective of merrging beauty and functionality, functional and high-fashion.
And whilst this collection shone a light on the capabilities of Robyn Lynch as a brand, there was a noticeable collab in the footwear department – Crocs. The clogs of the moment, Lynch reworked classic silhouettes into colour palettes that would match each look, from fur-lined to suede, brick-red to white. Other accessories included updated vintage sunglasses, and the whole collection was produced with sustainability in mind – using recycled ocean waste yarn and seasonal, reworked textiles.
Nostalgia forms the inspiration for a multitude of collections, designers and seasons – but perhaps none do it so well as Robyn Lynch’s authentic take: playful, personal and impactful.
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