London Fashion Week has come and gone, but we’re reflecting on some dreamy details from the Spring/Summer 2020 shows of Christopher Kane, Erdem, and Molly Goddard.
Scottish fashion designer Christopher Kane debuted his new collection on a dark runway, with an entrance adorned with bright florals. To start, the show’s collection notes referenced that looks were there to break down taboos around desire. From the beginning, we saw it did so through illusionistic, sultry, and “ecosexual” pieces to encourage our relationship with nature by “indulging in earthly pleasures.” When the looks began to pass by, we understood. Printed garments featuring images of the sky, a flower-filled field, and graphics of the moon were accompanied by details—above the breast, below the hemline, and on shoes—and on accessories—like an oval belt bag—made up of a distinct yet unidentifiable jelly-like material. Cutouts were aplenty, as were pieces in lace. Sophistication was kept with silk paisley dresses, fun pushed the bill with layers of frill, and our imagination stayed wide open long after the finale thanks to bright colors, dreamy accessories, and celestial sparkle.
Courtesy of Christopher Kane.
Erdem rewind time to 1942, honoring an Italian woman who suddenly passed away at the age of 45 in the back of a taxi in Mexico City. Her name was Tina Modatti and she was a communist activist and agent, leaving the home of Pablo Neruda. Throughout her life, she exuded through great courage and character and underwent extreme metamorphosis. She went from a silent Hollywood actress to a photographer of rural communities, later becoming an active communist agent in Russia, Spain, and Mexico. Each of her passions consumed her, and the world witnessed that through the way that she dressed. For Spring/Summer 2020, designer Erdem Moralioglu continued to be inspired by the biographies of others—and this time Modatti’s unusual one, and her intense way of expression. A tree-lined path in a quaint London Square parted the way for a gorgeous showing of floral dresses, wide-brimmed hats that tied below the chin, reimagined suits, Mexican blanket ponchos, and more. Bold colors—like fire engine red, hot pink, bright yellow, emerald green, and taffy blue—popped from each piece, with details reminiscent of each culture Modatti aligned with. Some looks were complemented with elbow-high gloves, while others had jeweled pins adorning scarves. (Think military lapel pins for the luxurious civilian.) There was certainly an emphasis on femininity, but masculine structure held plenty of the looks together with jackets, sashes, and trenches.
British designer Molly Goddard first appeared in the fashion world five years ago. Since, her collections have caught the eye, and the inner girly girl, of women around the world for the frill, the sheer, and the shape. For her presentation in London, she welcomed guests to the Seymour Leisure Center—a facility that was built in the 1930s (owned today by the Westminister council) that hosts a gym, a swimming pool, and a fitness studio. With single-row seats hosting attendees with their backs to one another, five rows of a runway welcomed models with the latest looks. A sweet, subdued palette of black, white, and cream gave way to pastels and brighter hues. Rows of tulle ballooned out, forming dresses and skirts that skimmed the shoes of seated VIPs; transparent fabric was rouged and delicately sewn in its draped place, worn as a top; bows adorned several of the pieces, horizontally at the waist and diagonally across the chest; and denim, for the first time, was used by Goddard for tops and dresses.
Courtesy of Christopher Kane.
