September 18, 2022 |
Standing Ground
What is London Fashion Week without Fashion East? The showcase has been a pivotal portal for London’s fashion talent for over two decades. This is where you come to see the shape of the future. The SS23 season was no different. First a debit static presentation of Standing Ground by Irish designer Michael Stewart. The clothes, all draped in jersey, were stunning in their sophistication – draped, sculpted and crafted to perfection. The taste level was exquisite. It was an impressive debut.
Karoline Vitto
Next on the catwalk was the debut of Karoline Vitto, whose work celebrates the female form and challenges body shape orthodoxy. Inclusivity is at the core of this Brazilian-born designer’s approach. Instead of designing a silhouette which demands a body must conform, she starts with the body and works to enhance its beauty. Artfully draped, swathed and cut out, she makes to order, so every piece elevates the wearer. Shown on a cast of curvy models, there is no compromise on sexuality, she’s not trying to cover-up her women or offer ‘solution dressing’. She goes far beyond tokenism, and the message is simple. If you want to stun, you know who to call.
Jawara Alleyne
Finally came Jawara Alleyne’s parade of inventive upcycled draped shredded and pinned pieces, presented with typical London Fashion Week energy (via Jamaica and the Cayman Islands). These are clothes for going out and showing off. Make-do and daring. They feel very now.
Photography courtesy of Fashion East.
