Zeynep Tosun AW13-14 @ London Fashion Week
filmed by JEJ for FACADES
Zeynep Tosun ‘Reign of the West’
Tosun sited “the life of pirates and the unforgettable women of the 1880s” as the inspiration for his achingly cool Fall Winter 2013 collection. High, swan-like necks and and emphasis on shoulders gave the looks power and grace simultaneously. And as the shows title ‘Reign of the West’ might suggest, there was definitely a little bit of cowboy-esque cool thrown with knee-high embroidered leather boots and mules. Tosun’s references are endlessly exciting- he is ones to watch.
Ashish AW13-14 @ London Fashion Weekfilmed by JEJ for FACADES
Ashish ‘Working girl’
This season Ashish Gupta brought the shock value that London is famous for (and what sets it apart), backed up by thoughtful and wonderfully-executed design. While an ironic take on construction workers jackets made up in colored sequins may sound somewhat ridiculous- it’s easy to imagine they will do well right now- the kind of thing the bloggerazzi would adore. Boiler suits also had their moment on the catwalk- a take on Sportswear done in a slightly different way to what has been seen on the runway over the past couple of seasons.
Zoe Jordan AW13-14 @ London Fashion Weekfilmed by JEJ for FACADES
Zoe Jordan ‘Foundations’
In her fifth collection, up and coming designer Zoe Jordan has been successful in creating a great overall ‘look’; one that is both classical (a largely muted color palette, Savile row inspired tailoring) and modern (photographic prints, androgynous). Equally they are pieces that could hold their own when taken out of the context of a collection. Jordan’s inspiration reveals itself in subtle, and often, simply beautiful references to modernist, post-modernist and italian baroque architecture: She has an obvious understanding and clear vision of a modern woman she wants to dress.
Bora Aksu AW13-14 @London Fashion WeekFilmed by JEJ for FACADES
Bora aksu
Inspired by vaudeville act of the 1920s the Dolly sisters Bora Aksu (hailing from turkey)'s fall winter 2013 collection is far from flapper girl. This is the masculisation of womens 1920s dress with flight jackets, nipped waists and pencil skirts, topped of with hair hair pulled back. This masuline harshness is Offset with subtle and sublime feminine detailing- crochet skull caps, lace corsets and sheer collars. Texture- furs, leather brought a certain lux to the collection, together with spot on styling, Bora Aksu impressed his somerset house audience.
Timur Kim AW13-14 @ London Fashion Week
Timur Kim
To date, Timur Kim’s collections have been consistently lovely - clean and mature beyond his experience. His obvious confidence in simplicity and the low-key is refreshing- especially in London, where ‘over-the-top without much real though’ seems too often to be the case. At the same time, Kim maintains a very London kind of cool: Modish cropped biker jackets made up in printed silks with matching brogues; caviar-tin print t’s tucked into jewel-tones skirts... it is far from boring. It is easy to see why Kim is heralded as one of London’s young designers destined for greater success.
EDELINE LEE SS'13filmed by JEJ for FACADES
This is the most difficult to write about, so I shall stick to my understanding of the collection's mien which may not be in accordance with the rest of those who beheld Edeline Lee's collection, a London-based Canadian designer.
30s in terms of subtlety; 40s in terms of styling (without its brashness); 80s in its hint of power-dressing (devoid of nightmarish armholes and cavernous sleeves); and evolved because all else unsightly were thankfully removed. In my humble opinion and based on my couturière mother's creations, Lee's collection reminded me of the best of the 70s. Charles Jourdan pumps in red came to mind. Edeline Lee truly had something to say.
Aside from three of her pieces, all of her dresses were strict and adhered to one length: the 21-inch skirt length which ended right below the knee cap.
The presentation was held in one of the rooms of the historical and arrestingly exquisite Royal Geographical Society Building. Far removed from the usual catwalk shows, only a dozen guests were allowed per presentation, which may have proceeded throughout the day. Ergo: there were more models than spectators. In our batch, we were amazed to have Hamish Bowles amongst us. I was giddy by his handsome presence and puzzled over his inability to age. Humble beyond words, he exhibited the lightness and brevity of Grace Coddington, another beautiful creature of the fashion world. Next time, I will say, "Hi, Hamish."
ASHISH SS'13filmed by JEJ fopr FACADES
If there was one show that spelled L-O-N-D-O-N in the collections, this was it. Aside from several long pieces that could have stood on their own, almost all of the other pieces would be most understood as separates to be worn with pieces out of your closet. With a bit of imagination and an understanding of composition, a number of Ashish'es pieces, added on to your staples, could well catapult an otherwise staid wardrobe into outfits that could add wit, courage and a healthy dose of fun. Upon closer inspection, one easily realises that Ashish'es shapes, colours, fabrication and, most importantly, silhouettes are easily workable. Not for everyone, for sure. But surely, there's something for those who'll give it a go.
JENA.THEO SS'13filmed by JEJ for FACADES
Bustier tops that didn't celebrate the female torso marked this collection. Were they the point? Exposed zippers that peppered the line detracted from the otherwise interesting prints. Surely, this was not a practice in deconstruction. A beautiful halter top, cut to an A-line was worn over printed trousers that was a hybrid of a jodhpur and slacks. I failed to see a silhouette, merged by separates, that gave each piece a chance to complement each other. There were no signs of the designers' love for denim. Perhaps, the collection was their take on how women should dress and I respect that. Moreover, the styling on the models (hair and make-up) were very far removed from the dresses on exhibit. The audience left in silence, perplexed.
Timur Kim SS'13filmed by JEJ for FACADES
Seriously. A fresh talent who showcased basic dressmaking skills in the mode of fabric blocking: denim, juxtaposed with twill and other cotton weaves of the same weight and hand. Patternmaking 101 although quite sound. As evidenced by Jose's choppy videography, we couldn't get over the ill-fitting (white!) pumps that either terrorised the otherwise gorgeous mannequins, or literally flew off their feet on numerous occasions. Minutes after the show, we were driven to drink copious amounts of champagne.
