From New York to London: Goddard’s lilac tulle and Preen’s face flowers.
Struggling slightly to stream shows on our house’s not so brilliant Wi-Fi in Hyde Park, I was semi-effective in leaving freshers’ behind for the BFC’s show space and London Fashion Week. A firm favourite and someone whose collection I was most excited to see was Molly Goddard. I’ve loved Goddard’s nostalgic designs since her art studio presentation at Somerset house last year. Her SS17 collection, showcased on her first catwalk show, is just as fun with an incredibly wide range of coloured tulle I wish I could pull off in Leeds.
Beauty wise I quickly become obsessed with the pressed flower design used to decorate the Preen models’ faces. The focus with this was the idea of perishable beauty in contrast to the brand’s longevity as, like me, it turns 20 this year.
Another anniversary that should be mentioned is of course the 10 year anniversary of House of Holland which was commemorated with iconic slogan tees mirroring those from Holland’s first show at LFW. Favourite rhyme? ‘Give us a toss Karlie Kloss’, closely rivaled by ‘Yours for a tenner, Kendall Jenner’. With an ever growing presence, designer Henry Holland is known for his eclectic mix of colours and pop-art inspired patterns, a theme which ran strong in his SS17 show.
Victoria Copeland
A week in Italy: Olympic inspired and contrasting creativity
After the whirlwind of London and the politics of New York, subsequent fashion weeks could fall victim to disregard by both the public and the press. However, 1606 kilometres away from the Italian fashion capital of Milan in the confines of my attic room in Hyde Park, inspiration from Milan fashion week seemed to find its way to me. A show I look forward to year on year is always Dolce and Gabbana. One of the largest fashion houses worldwide, D&G did not disappoint with their ss17 collection. A somewhat untraditional show, the runway was a carnival, party experience, hot off the back of the Rio Olympics. Dancers and street performers alike took to the runway in a chaotic move from the fashion house, before showcasing a collection filled with shades of red and green, sequin embellished jeans complete with emoji style fabric patches and true to brand floral headwear. The show quickly returned to its roots featuring sultry black and red palettes, and a true Italian style. D&G makes itself fun, accessible and classic.
Contrasting such an adverse show, Fendi, recently praised for its fall 2016 Haute Couture show at the Trevi fountain, opened in a more traditional runway style. Bella Hadid was first to grace the runway, complete with metallic make up and a waist-cinching, bell sleeved blazer. A true mixed bag, Fendi’s ss17 collection incorporated stripes, puff sleeves, mini dresses and even sliders, as oppose to the typically favoured heels of catwalks gone by. The largely navy and pink colour palette encompassed both tradition and futuristic vibes, hinting at an interesting future for fashion.
Meg Painter
Cover Image: FT.com