Richard Quinn, the rising star of British
design, on Saturday dazzled London fashion week, playing the glamour card with
a sumptuous, flower-filled show.
A graduate four years ago from London’s prestigious Central Saint Martins,
Quinn was quickly recognised for his daring and originality and big names such
as Amal Clooney have worn his work.
There were rich colours, dresses with trains, flowers, crystals and
feathers galore at the show held at an art deco venue near Westminster in
central London.
Earlier in the day, different aspects of femininity lit up London Fashion
Week, from the chic of Petar Petrov to the playful colours of Molly Goddard
and the unabashed glamour of Halpern.
Meanwhile outside the shows Extinction Rebellion protesters paraded in
barbed-wire dresses.
Dozens of demonstrators blocked the road near the main building hosting the
catwalk shows, which began on Friday and continue until Tuesday.
“We started by blocking the road, four people were wearing barbed wire
dresses and attached themselves to the ground,” XR spokeswoman Sara Arnold,
33, told AFP.
“The system is based on obsolescence, exploitation and overproduction. This
affects the planet, the people, the animals. It needs systemic change.”
It is not the first time “XR” activists have targeted fashion week, having
covered themselves in fake blood and tied themselves to the entrance at last
September’s event.
The movement sent a letter on Monday to the industry lobby group British
Fashion Council asking them to cancel London’s fashion week in September.
Conscious of the accusations, the industry is this week showcasing its
efforts in an exhibition dedicated to “positive fashion”.
Are designers doing enough to be more eco-friendly?
Many designers concerned about the impact of fashion on the environment are
choosing to use renewable or recycled materials and support local
craftsmanship.
But environmental activists believe this is not enough and that urgent
action is needed.
Petar Petrov show overshadowed by protesters
The protest took place on the second day of Fashion Week, which saw the
first London show of Petar Petrov, who presented his women’s autumn/winter
2020/21 collection.
The designer, whose brand has just celebrated its tenth anniversary,
unveiled the elegant and sober collection in the surroundings of the Royal
Institute of British Architects (RIBA) listed headquarters located near
Regent’s Park.
The collection was marked by extra long flared sleeves and wide trouser
suits held in place by thin belts.
Versatility was key, with coats worn as dresses and scarf necks and draped
jackets that can be tied in different ways.
Molly Goddard bringing color to the catwalks
“I grew up without elegance, I grew up in a socialistic town and everyone
had the same,” said the designer, who grew up in Bulgaria and the Ukraine with
his tailor mother.
He inherited her love of fabrics, a legacy that has become central to the
company’s ethos.
By contrast, Molly Goddard brought bright colours and fun to the catwalk,
with candy-pink tulle dresses and frills on display.
The 31-year-old Briton said she was inspired by her childhood and visiting
London’s vintage markets.
“It was sort of the starting point for my collection, my childhood near
Portobello market, it was such a fun area,” she said after the show,
explaining that as a child she dressed up especially to go to the bric-a-brac
stalls.
Their spirit is reflected in her mix of styles, with dresses and petticoats
worn with mohair sweaters in an explosive palette of canary yellow, royal
blue, pink, red and fuchsia, the designer’s favourite colour.
Michael Halpern bringing glamor to London
Fuchsia and electric blue fabrics showered in sequins were the shimmering
themes for Michael Halpern, a London-based New Yorker who has been called the
“king of new glamour”.
The London offering of Halpern, who worked at Oscar de la Renta and Versace
before launching his eponymous collection, featured short, busty dresses
adorned with giant bows, or flared trousers with multicoloured sequins,
resulting in an overall theme of unfettered female glamour.
Less spectacular, but perhaps more wearable, was the collection of South
Korean designer Rejina Pyo.
Working with wide shoulder designs and asymmetrical lines, Pyo went for
autumnal colours black, beige and brown, and used just enough blue and green
to lift the collection’s overall mood.(AFP)
Photo: Richard Quinn AW20/21, Catwalkpictures
