Three shows in one: Fashion East is the conveyor belt of young London fashion design talent, and a must-watch in the capital’s frantic LFWM schedule.
When models walk at such a pace, it’s often difficult to see the detail and cut; even the special fabrications in their shows. But it’s easy to recognise the sophisticated cutting technique used by Mowalola Ogunles. The CSM grad has an accomplished understanding of leather: how it moves and holds; how it cuts. How, too, it can take colour and ombré, even print. Her super-charged and unapologetically sexy jackets, cover then reveal their wearer’s skin. And those super-kicky leather trousers could get you into some serious trouble. Fashion East is stronger with Mowala’s high-octane and fabulously raunchy fashion creations.
Even before her second show at Fashion East had begun, menswear designer Robyn Lynch had released old-school picture postcards of various destinations of her native Ireland, on to which, she’d “green-screened” single-shot preview looks from her SS20 collection. Then, further to her show last season, the MA design grad, fused cable knits onto various tops worn with various styles of shorts. On came towelling tops with zip-necks and matching sports bags; superb track pants in pale blue were expertly cut-and-re-sewn with piping details. Lynch just pushed the men’s sportswear genre that bit further.
This dancer and designer, also RCA MA grad, was inspired by the “kinetic body”. Saul Nash’s tech-wear line-out incorporating sportswear details (he has a next-level understanding of pulls and zips and performance fabrics), was a wardrobe of fascinating and wearable pieces. At best: zips replaced seams and apertures sat alongside mesh inserts. Then slits and toggle-pulls created fascinating new shaped jackets. The dancers, who wore the clothes, wound their bodies, and the clothes weren’t fazed. Excellent stuff.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
