September 16, 2023 |
Fashion East? Maybe they should change the name to Fashion Feast. That’s how it felt watching the show, as one great look paraded after another. This London Fashion Week slot serves an abundance of talent so nourishing that British fashion would seem empty without it. The showcase caters to different tastes. Sexually charged streetwear for men? Olly Shinder has it. Already on the radar of the Dover Street Market crew, his cast of queer artists and handsome friends thrilled in highly detailed pieces, inlaid with body-revealing slits and windows which brought a new meaning to ‘watch this space’.
Their was a different kind of thrill at Standing Ground – it came from the masterful way designer Michael Stewart drapes and manipulates fabric. His lean jersey dresses ooze sophistication – of technique and taste. Stewart’s supple drapes fanned out in patterns inspired by fossils. He created rhythmic 3D patterns which traced the curves of the body with beads encased in jersey. The level of craft was impressive. The energy never dropped. Each dress looked like a collector’s item.
There’s an elegance to Johanna Parv‘s designs too. One that comes when form meets function and imagination – like the cycling shirt transformed into an elegant white zip jacket or the dress that transformed to it a top with an integrated handbag. Her pieces are elevated, and delight with clever design details. She cuts for an active, modern life and does it with great flair. As a bonus track, the Fashion East show ended with the return of Asai, a brand that embodies the flavour and energy of London fashion. His signature tie dye was slashed, shredded, knitted and woven into dance-til-dawn party dresses and too hot-to-handle beach looks which teetered on his high-heeled Timberland collab. Highly crafted, this ‘hot wok’ couture had all the flavour.
Photography by Chris Fragkou.
