There is a lot to be said for young talent in the design world, especially when it comes to those looking to break into the London fashion scene. More so than the other mainstays (Paris, Milan, and New York), the focus on who's next, who's going to disrupt the mold, and who's creating clothing that isn't just fabric, but true art, sits heavily.
This notion was no more true than in the glorious stone hall of the Tate Britain early saturday morning, where three young stars — Richard Malone, Caitlin Price, and A.V. Robertson — were poised to host their first full-fledged runway shows. All received critical and commercial acclaim last season, winning the unofficial award of most 'grammed presentations. But how would their vision translate at such a grand setting for Lulu Kennedy's fall/winter 2016 Fashion East event?
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First up was Richard Malone, making his second Fashion East outing. The opening look — a heavy, knitted pinafore dress that swept the ground — set the tone. Swimming-pool blues and sunshine yellows were the colors of choice, laid out in Brighton beach deck-chair stripes. It was a rather summery affair in all, but the technical yarns and layering made the collection a feasible winter offering. And hey, this is fashion, after all, and practicality rarely comes into play.
We were particularly taken, though, by the gentle ruffles on the backs of the garments, offering a cheeky peek of flesh; the turquoise zebra prints (inspired by Malone's godmother's outfit choice for his Holy Communion); and the modern, woolly fisherman overalls. Malone, a recipient of the LVMH Grand Prix scholarship, knows how to create an elegant and refined edit (as well as some seriously covetable footwear). There's no doubt those snowy white booties will be everywhere come next January.
Next was designer Caitlin Price. Having made a name for herself with super-luxe tracksuit-inspired clubwear, she presented a collection that was deeply enmeshed in nostalgia for London's early noughties garage scene. As the first model stepped out to Burial with a facial piercing, bare midriff, and track pants paired with a pink bustier, we saw Price take what she does best to the next level.
Flashes of colored silk and white fur adorned sportswear pieces and bubblegum pink jackets and skirts proved to be a cheeky take on the '90s office suit. The wonderfully cut black trousers with sashes dangling below and floor-dusting skirts arguably stole the show. As for the accessories, models carried mini bucket bags, wore Nikes, and had super-sized heart-shaped padlock necklaces (that looked like cartoonish versions of the Tiffany & Co. versions we pined for in middle school) tied around their necks.
The final look — a tongue-in-cheek take on a '90s bridal look — came in the form of a cropped white puffer jacket and billowing skirt. The image will, no doubt, flood your Instagram feed.
The last collection — and arguably the most anticipated (given the fact that Marc Jacobs was perched in the front row) — came courtesy of Amie Robertson, the designer behind A.V. Robertson and a protégé of Jacobs. With the help of top models Edie Campbell, Lineisy Montero, Anna Cleveland, Molly Bair, and Georgia May Jagger, she sent a gloriously glamorous girl down the runway with one simple message: Sit up and pay attention.
Inspired by extraterrestrial existence, the collection featured bold green knits, striped dresses and skirts with little embellishments, and purple satin blouses covered in a light dusting of "alien spores" (a.k.a. a cluster of winking crystals.) Despite the elegance factor, blazers hung off models' shoulders and tops gaped at the seams, presenting a kind of undone, disheveled magic.
With a collection (and It-Girl crew) like this, it's no surprise that Marc Jacobs nodded his head in approval. Well, he wasn't the only one who was impressed.