Kimo-no she better don’t. Or, in this case: do. Because the kimono was at the heart of Chalayan’s SS18 collection, shown in his Mayfair store this afternoon. Here, that kimono was propositioned as an alternative to the traditional blazer, which, in today’s weather seemed like a very good proposition indeed. Tailoring was played with throughout – natty short shorts, with traditional crease folds along the front, or longer styles where the bottom was layered and wrapped up with tie fastenings. Ties also appeared throughout – draped ribbons of fabrics that stretched along the front of poplin shirts, or out of the waistbands of trousers.
Some good knitwear too – where, at the front, had this sort of curved outer layer. Skin was shown in patches, the arm and chest revealed under button-sleeve blazers, or tailoring worn with nothing beneath. The collection itself was entitled Momentum, Hussein describing it as a comment on our “Like” culture – coming through here in the deconstructed, and pieced-together back together nature of the collection. And, like his menswear last season, this was proof that whilst Hussein may be known for his ideas-led creations, he’s also very good at real clothes too.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
