LFW: Ones to Watch
Vauxhall Ones To Watch is basically a round-up of new designers worth paying attention to according to some bigwigs at Vauxhall Fashion Scout. The panel, including Katy England, David Koma, and Marios Schwab, describe themselves as a “critically acclaimed springboard for the next generation of design talent”. Whatever. Whether or not Vauxhall actually participate in the judging process is unclear. I don’t know if it was the front row seat I was shuffled into, or the presence of fashion icon Kate Nash across the room, but this felt like a real fashion show. You know, like actually important. Not just pumped up PR chicks waving their asymmetric chiffon at you. Exciting!
Heowhan Simulation.
Kudos to this guy for being virtually un-Googleable in a time when most people's cats have Facebook. That aside, the collection was a fashion standard and perhaps an odd opening choice for a show celebrating new talent. Exposed zips, leather panels, and a super-sleek finish was unimaginative but expertly crafted. The designer’s menswear background came through best in oversized, slightly cocooned coats, and despite the combination of black, bright orange, and turquoise more suited to expensive coffee packaging, the outerwear was impressive, wearable and, oh yeah, sleek.
Oh god, the sportswear tuxedo. Dutch CSM graduate De Muynck stood out like a throbbing pastel thumb from her clearly more accomplished peers. Just when we thought we were safe from the onesie, it comes back with a dinner jacket printed on the front. What a fucking nightmare. Sure, her collection was not entirely without potential, the embellished shell suits stood out, as did leggings cut off and replaced with sheer organza at the knee. But the low points were white trainer wedges, cycling shorts, and what generally felt like a Maharishi revival. Unforgivable. Soz.
Anne Sofie Madsen.
Unsurprisingly, Anne Sofie Madsen was leaps and bounds ahead of the first two. Having worked for John Galliano and Alexander McQueen, her heavy-duty embellishment, net mini-dresses, and boyish jackets were both wearable and not half bad. Inspired by animalism, the collection was fringed, feathered, and fucked up—in a totally good way. Muddy leggings and cuffed Dr. Martens set the tone for sculptural detail which hung like harnesses around the models necks. It was aggressive and so hot.
Nova Chiu.
LCF graduate Nova Chiu won 2011 collection of the year and is pretty much a texture, pattern, and color hemorrhage. Imagine taking loads of acid and dreaming about Tibet. It’s basically that, but a lot better. Triangles of multi-colored fur and a 70s silhouette were almost lost in the complete shit-storm of embroidery, prints, ruffles, and draping, but Chiu maintained a cohesive collection with consistent Oriental notes and genius clashing. She sent a parasol down the runway and yes, we forgive her. Where she’ll decide to take her signature style of an explosion of everything is hard to predict.
Vibe: Wearing an explosion of everything is in.
TEXT: BERTIE BRANDES
PHOTOS: DANIELLA MAIORANO
david bowie
February 23, 2012 06:15pm
that girl in the white shorts looks like cheryl cole
Alladin Sane
February 24, 2012 11:36am
your mom looks like cheryl cole