Backstage at Paul Smith. Images by Oskar Gyllenswärd.
Set against the refined backdrop of the newly refurbished Savoy Hotel, Sir Paul Smith channeled Patti Smith’s androgynous style with a series of cropped, narrow pants in pinstripes, khakis, grays, blues and black mingling in the company of shocking pink and shades of red.
Military-inspired jackets, patterned ties, sheer shirts, oversized cableknit sweaters and polka-dotted blazers teamed with lace-free brogues as the designer eschewed the monotony so often synonymous with straitlaced men’s clothing. Adding copious splashes of color (a neon green belt, patent red shoes, tomato cuffs), he unstitched bespectacled models with messy mops, underlining a calculated, carefree style that turned relaxed masculine tailoring distinctively feminine.
With international politics rightfully dominating media space, it would appear that even fashion can’t escape the turmoil roiling the Middle East. Influenced by this unrest, Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos presented…
Click “Read More” for additional images.
…interlocking chunky chainlink prints in the tender arm of silk and celebrated the voice of youth with classic oxford shirting and oversized shirt-dresses.
The half-Austrian, half-Italian Pilotto met the half-Belgian, half-Peruvian De Vos in 2000 while studying at Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, where the pair bonded over a shared vision of womenswear that combined “otherworldly prints with sculptural shapes.” This vision revealed itself in the TopShop space at Old Billingsgate where, in pin-drop silence, the white interiors reverberated with a revolutionary spirit. A utilitarian army of robust jackets with military details, corseted dresses in blurring prints, and 3D Kazimir Malevich-inspired polo neck knits joined tailored trousers, floor-sweeping dresses, masculine waistcoats and paneled wool coats slit in front to reveal printed trousers—each layered look definitively grounded by knee-high leather boots from Nicholas Kirkwood.
Harsh, icy and brooding, Todd Lynn sent a chill down black leather jackets, fur (mink and fox) and wool (stretchy, layered and ribbed)…
David Koma
…in earthy neutrals. Storming the runway in Christian Louboutin ribbed leather heels, models reflected winter’s unforgiving disposition with ferocious attitudes and fierce collars rising to meet their cheekbones. Their gelled hair was swept back into a slick braid that sliced the head in half. The bespoke soundtrack came courtesy of The Libertines’ Gary Powell.
Four-time winner of the British Fashion Council’s New Generation award, Lynn’s “Revelation: Revolution” collection combined sinuous extremities, including Biblical mysticism, Age of Enlightenment philosophy and the heroin-addicted Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. Using masterful tailoring skills to fuse these seemingly disparate inspirations, the Canadian designer cut slick leggings and deft jackets for musician clients Mick Jagger and Bono. He disciplined knits, wool and silks—at times blending them with leather sleeves on suits and throwing gauntlet gloves over an oxblood drape gown.
While renowned for his skillful use of clashing hues and textures, Michael van der Ham’s Fall show opened with…
Thomas Tait
…what appeared to be identical, richly hued velvet dresses and blouses. A closer look revealed a nuanced array of shapes and cuts formed through the splicing and swapping of the plush fabric’s grain. Meanwhile, vintage floral prints inspired fine Italian jacquard knit dresses, tops and cardigans subtly touched by gold and silver Lurex. The designer’s signature use of color-blocking and texture-play formed a converse jigsaw of austerity at the same time he augmented basic trousers with jacquard fringe and accentuated sleeves—covering one arm with a billowing sleeve and leaving the other bare.
