Painterly silks, crystal embroideries and gold, oh my! London Fashion Week Men’s AW20 kicked off with a visual extravagance courtesy of none other than Edward Crutchley. This season, his usual cultural exchange in traditional dress took to new heights, without borders of gender, sexuality or nationality. Culturally ambiguous, his models walked down in a demonstration of pure, unadulterated opulence.
After a double win at last year’s Woolmark Prize, Crutchley took it upon himself to expand his own creativity to uncharted territories. And thanks to his experience of working with Kim Jones for years, the successful outcome comes as no surprise. Building upon traditions of royal silhouettes from the past, he found a new sense of sophistication in abundance. Custom brocades and earthy-toned plaids covered layers of tailoring, with voluminous fur coats on top. A print collaboration with erotic American artist Erik Jones came from Crutchley’s own personal interest. He bought one of Jones’ large paintings as a congratulations to himself after winning the Woolmark Prizes, and then stayed in touch via Instagram before finally finding the right moment to work together. The neon psychedelia contrasted the muddy tones of the rest of the collection, completing the range of his style reach.
In a time a lot of the world is dedicated to pulling back, it’s refreshing to see someone who goes all out when it comes to expressing themselves. “I asked myself, ‘What would Dolly Parton do?’” Crutchley said backstage after the show. The answer is: a divinely tailored white silk jacket with lace embroidery and crystal appliqués. This is drag at its finest, and f you like your money where you see it, you’re gonna want to dig deep into your pocket to spend it on these clothes.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans.
