LONDON FASHION WEEK – DAY ONE
Winter is underway but luckily for London decided to arrange an early vacation.
Strong rays of the sun allowed the biggest fashion bloggers and freaks to explore the city showing their style in all its glory. The mixture of colours, shapes and patterns have conquered both streets and catwalks.
Alice Zielasko | @alicezielasko
Lyn Slater aka Accidental Icon | @iconaccidental
George David Hodgson | @georgedavidhodgson
Maison De Choup | @maisondechoup
Joshua Villa | @j0shua_villa
Yousef Adnan | @yousef_adnan
Alfie Chapman | @alfiechapman__
Here are some highlights of the most talented designers of London Fashion Week and their latest Autumn/Winter 2018 collections.
Our associate fashion edtor Serafin Zielinski in look by Hugo before entering Ryan Lo AW18 presentation.
Serafin Zielinski | @serafinzielinski
Hugo | @hugo_official
Images: Grzegorz Mikrut | @grzegorzmikrut
RYAN LO
Ryan Lo is a designer from Hond Kong who spent most of his life living and studying in London. It was here that the aesthetics of his work developed in the London College of Fashion. We had the opportunity to see his brand new AW18 collection in the sugary interior of Sketch gallery. It was designer’s return to the presentation format as it was six-year anniversary of the beginning of his work.
Each model had eyes like a Manga character and glittered lips.
Ryan Lo | @ryanlostudio
Sketch | @sketchlondon
Images: Grzegorz Mikrut | @grzegorzmikrut
XU ZHI
Xuzhi Chen is the Chinese fashion designer graduated from Central Saint Martins who gained experience at J.W. Anderson’s and Craig Green’s. After that period he established his fashion brand XU ZHI in 2014.
The new collection of Xuzhi Chen is the tribute to the painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti and his muse, Jane Morris. It reflects the relationship between creator and muse. While living in the world of social media, we all experience the process of commoditization. Despite the fact Jane Morris have died over 100 years ago her face stay one of the most recognisable whithin art history. But is this true face of hers or the vision of the painter’s mind? And is she related to the woman of modern times?
The entire collection is the undeniable evidence of artful craftsmanship and deconstruction skills of the designer. Waxy finish of coats and shirts gives them the shine of oil paintings.
The tassels of yarn imitate the movement of painter’s brush. Layering, oversize design and colour contrast make the looks more dimensional. Masculinity and femininity infiltrate each other at all levels of designer’s creation.
Xu Zhi | @xu_zhi_
Images: Grzegorz Mikrut | @grzegorzmikrut
XIAO LI
Xiao Li Fall Winter 2018/19 mixes femininity with sportswear design and makes refference to the 70s skate culture and Hugh Holland’s photography. Xiao Li pays close attention to the vibrancy of Los Angeles as an inspiring place full of acceptance and dreams.
There’s a lot of mixing textures, thin and delicate sheer net silhouetting alongside thick and strong puffy coats.
Xiao Li uses contemporary silicone techniques to make unique textures. Looks are completed with wavy pop colour accessories such as jewellery and oversize belts.
The print of skater figures and LA road sign graphic slogans saying ‘car wash’ and ‘low daily rate’ express the playfulness and are the key part of the whole collection.
Xiao Li | @xiaoli_studio
Images: Grzegorz Mikrut | @grzegorzmikrut
FYODOR GOLAN
Latest AW18 Fyodor Golan’s collection is a tribute of power and energy.
Woven ropes, air ballons and the motion of flight and jump are some of designer’s strongest sources of inspiration. Fyodor Golan contrasts silhouettes and fabrics. His looks are full of lightness and movement but structured and geometric at the same time. Color plays a key role in the designer’s collections and this time isn’t different especially by using rainbow stripes strongly connected with the brand but in the new reimagined way – they appear only upon movement as the flashes. Designer chose holographic and reflective tech fabrics or vinyl prints to modernize the vintage shapes of the sportswear. He also try to make sporty looks more luxurious by adding faux fur or faux suede as well as velvet denim and colourful crystals.
The motif of the MTV logo used in the collection (e. g. puffer jackets) reveals designer’s cooperation with a well-known TV station.
FG: ‘MTV have been a voice of youth culture for decades, we wanted to embrace this and the memories of our teenage years. This collaboration combines the iconic pop culture symbol with the vibrancy and bright colours of today’s MTV. We’ve played with the logo, through textures and finishes, to enhance the contrasts of traditional techniques with new fabrications. We were attracted to the ongoing evolution of this iconic brand, the idea of always re-examining oneself in order to carry on with new ideas.’
Serafin Zielinski with Pandemonia after Fyodor’s Golan fashion show.
Pandemonia | @therealpandemonia
Serafin Zielinski | @serafinzielinski
Fyodor Golan | @fyodorgolan
Images: Grzegorz Mikrut | @grzegorzmikrut
MARTA JAKUBOWSKI
Marta Jakubowski was born in Poland and grew up in Germany. She graduated with an MA from the Royal College of Art in 2014 and gained experience with worldwide talents such us Hussein Chalayan, Alexander Wang or Jonathan Saunders to name a few before establishing her own brand.
Her latest collection for AW18 season is the celebration of women with all their complexity, ambition and strength. There’s plenty of boyish oversize suits with deep necks, longline cashmere coats as well as asymethric turtlenecks. Marta decided to mix them with extremely sensual lace langerie, effective jewellery and gloves in contrasting colours. There’s also few plaid pattern looks in the collection.
The models with smile on their faces swing hips in their high heels to the sound of Whitney Houston’s “I’m Every Woman” filled the venue with energetic vibes.
Marta Jakubowski | @martajakubowski
Images: Grzegorz Mikrut | @grzegorzmikrut
MIMI WADE
During London Fashion Week we had also the opportunity to participate in AW18 Mimi Wade’s presentation in the basement of One Star Hotel well-known for its never-ending queues of Londoners to explore the interior and buy a new pair of Converse.
Mimi Wade | @mimi.wade
Images: Grzegorz Mikrut | @grzegorzmikrut
JOHNSTONS OF ELIGN
This iconic UK brand with their rich heritage of 220 years on the market and well-known cashmere garment made its debut at London Fashion Week. Johnstons of Elign presented its very first presentation included 15 womenswear and 5 menswear looks to an international audience in central London – The College in Holborn.
“It has taken two years to harness the depth and complexity involved in creating each element in the design process – every fibre, colour, weave structure, knit technology, stitch has been lovingly created in Scotland from scratch,’ says Alan Scott, the Creative Director of the brand. ‘The unique, sustainable provence and history of Johnstons of Elign continues to inspire me, and it has been an honour to guide this iconic brand to LFW for the first time, for the fashion world to see”.
The collection is divided into three themes – Sculptural Simpilicity (pure linear silhouettes, minimalist pieces with perfect proportions and precise hand-tailoring), Althux Edge (soft cashmere pieces and exaggarated textures) and New Tradition (soft sartorial tailoring for women with a contemporary edge).
Ashley gives us her own vision of combining past with the present. The Dutch brand Ace & Tate created two limited edition sunglass designs to complement the new collection and to bring modernity to the looks.
Ashley Williams | @ashleywilliamslondon
Images: Grzegorz Mikrut | @grzegorzmikrut