The weight of the world was on the minds of London’s fashion talent for AW20
Sustainability seemed to be weighing heavily on the minds of more than a few of the capital’s designers at London Fashion Week this season as they asked, what role can fashion play when the world is in the midst of a climate emergency?
Now is a time when excess in fashion doesn’t just appear vulgar but tone deaf, too. Of course, the fashion industry is never going to solve the climate emergency – an industry predicated on consumption never could, but season after season it appears that sustainability is no longer something that can be ignored, with ever more show notes eager to call out responsibly sourced fabrics and mindful manufacturing techniques.
Dubbed ‘Nothing New’, Phoebe English wholeheartedly rejected the idea of fast fashion. Her AW20 collection was crafted from deadstock and leftover fabrics which she had gathered from across the capital, reimagining them as a beautifully constructed capsule of timeless workwear. Made entirely in England, the collection featured her trademark dresses, which were effortlessly elegant with their neat necklines and long lengths. On the whole it was clear that her intent was to look at the past as political statement, as if to say, if we don’t learn from it there is no way we will be able to move forward.
This year’s Woolmark Prize winner, Richard Malone, used his show notes as an opportunity to highlight the full transparency of his operation, even detailing the hourly rate of his pattern cutters. The designer’s work was as standout as ever, with high necks that were crafted with a previous season’s leather offcuts, strong shapes with romantic angles, craft and tailoring in what felt like an exquisite unfolding of the past. He used natural dyes to create his earthy colour palette of bottle green, sky blue, dark beige, burgundy and purple.
The jewellery accenting this collection was the result of a collaboration with Zambian raised Rosh Mahtani of Alighieri, who took home the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, with the judges praising her ethical approach to jewellery making use of responsibly sourced materials and promotion of local manufacturing.
Even heritage brand Mulberry (who still crafts its bags by hand) was looking to the future, as it announced The Mulberry Exchange concept, which allows Mulberry customers to brings their old bags into the store to part exchange for a new, while their original will be patched up and resold. This formed part of its Made To Last installation expressing its responsibility commitments.
When designers weren’t expressing care for the world through the manufacturing process, they were doing it in more subtle ways. For example, Charlotte Knowles presented the lingerie silhouettes that she is fast becoming famed for but in a rich palette of natural, earthy tones - think burnt orange, tan, ochre and green.
While Christopher Kane wiped humanity’s slate clean this season with his meditation on Adam and Eve, which was translated through his use of triangles in his collection and an Eden inspired colour combination of blue, off-white, zebra print, red, beige and, of course, snake print.
Matty Bovan’s collection as a whole appeared to have more of an everyday woman at its heart, with the unexpected use of Fiorucci denim, but the playful designer expressed his climate change fears in a typically theatrical way. Look at the oversized silhouettes and hair that operated more like armour, and you can see that they are designed almost as protection for the body.
And at Toga too, Yauko Furuta appeared to want to protect her women from the onslaught of climate change with traditional tailoring juxtaposed with the parachute-inspired use of PVC and feathers.
Protection seemed to be on Roksanda’s mind, also. Shapes were delicate and spontaneous with the designer making use of puffer silhouettes, while the use of colour blocking was harmonious; think complementary tones of blue, orange, brown, beige, burgundy and mustard, that you want to envelop yourself in. Conversely at Victoria Beckham, it was all about elegant, well-proportioned tailoring and impeccable knitwear that was both sexy and built to transcend seasons.
Richard Quinn was something else altogether. Each look was simply perfect in its craft. Full couture suits embellished with tiny pearls and crystals. A Knight and a Queen walking the catwalk. A white ostrich young princess followed by flowers. At the house of Richard Quinn you can just feel that anything is possible. And this show-stopping show was, as ever, produced ethically and sustainably, with each piece printed, sourced and made in London.