Fashion East’s triumvirate for SS20 was a powerful one who together delivered transgressive expressions of masculinity. Londoner Saul Nash, a recent RCA MA graduate who was supported by the BFC’s Discovery Lab last season, made his catwalk debut as part of Lulu Kennedy’s emerging talent showcase. But through this designer and dancer’s eyes, the fashion show format was transformed into a compelling performative experience allowing his close-knit group of dancers to pulsate, glide and swoop through the space creating a kinetic energy. Their fluid and confident movements were the perfect pairing for Nash’s sporty designs in shades of sand, aqua, grey and black. Tracksuits, shorts and vests featured detachable sections and refreshing zip and mesh detailing.

Next up, Robyn Lynch transported us to her youthful summers spent in Irish seaside resorts. Think holiday camps, chilly swimming pools and awkward first kisses. Her boys kept warm in mint and maroon towelling t-shirts tucked endearingly into shorts pulled up just that bit too high, or wore ribbed and beige cable knit jumpers worn with chinos, both sliced through with nylon. This University of Westminster MA graduate is certainly coming of age with this second Fashion East outing.

Closing the show was left in the capable and uncompromising hands of Mowalola Ogunlesi. ‘Coming For Blood’ was her take on falling in love so hard you want to do harm: “the horrific feeling of love when you’re emotions are turned to a hundred,” she says. The Nigerian designer took inspiration from dark and doomed romances such as Marilyn Manson and Dita von Teese and Carmen Electra and Dennis Rodman for high shine leather pieces such as thong bodices and mini dresses that freed the nipple and turned the back into the erogenous zone.

Meanwhile she looked to America’s deep south to conjure up acid green cowhide shirts, cowboy-cut trousers and evangelical belt buckles. This season’s motif – parted red lips revealing a black abyss – was only slightly less ominous than the bleeding bullet holes dripping down bright white blazers. Bang bang, that awful sound. Bang bang, my baby shot me down.

Read our interviews with Saul Nash and Mowalola in issue two of Nataal magazine, available now.

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Published on 15/06/2019