And off to Surrey Quays we went. For the last day of this season’s LFWM, designers decided to take us on a tour of South London. After Craig Green’s serenity in colourama, Samuel Ross led the way into a warehouse-like nightclub venue of Printworks. Industrial, rough and dark – that was the location for the A-Cold-Wall SS20 show. The clothes? Not so much. Shedded of volume and starting off with earthy tones, the collection was inspired by four elements Ross says every one of us interacts with from childhood – clay, water, glass and led.
The malleable qualities of these materials resulted in fluid silhouettes, corresponding with the human form and celebratory of movement. Clothes looked more subdued than usual, carrying a certain feminine quality against the traditional sportswear. With Ross’ background in graphic design, but his heart in fashion, it was clear the style lines were engineered to fit the bill of both practical and fashionable. Sweaty, dirty, and distressed – the models looked like they just walked out of a sand-storm, but their clothes remained impeccably chic. Softening the way he is communicating optimism into the world, Samuel Ross explored new methods of streamlining his visceral ideas while keeping in with the ethos of studious streetwear.
It’s clear we’re in the middle of a fashion renaissance, a phenomenon Ross called the “revival of the British fashion industry.” His way of contributing is about empowering alternative ways of getting into this often elitist world. By opening his shows to the public – an army of A-Cold-Wall-clad kids were stood on the platforms, watching the show with us – Ross is making sure everyone knows about A-Cold-Wall as well as LFWM. And that’s the kind of ambassador you want on your side.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
