Caroline Day 2015

Revolutionaries such as Ari Seth Cohen and his mature lady muses have changed public perception of senior citizens but also personal style. The colours, textures, cuts and patchwork all remind me of the quirky creations you might see at a Country Womens Association in your typical small town. The eclectic, homely and a cacophony of materials have shaped Caroline Day's graduate collection at the Westminster Fashion show. Judicious pinning and ruching helped to create a more sculptural figure which was in turn smothered by a large billowing cape inspired by the chic boudoir jackets of yesteryear. Combined with the lace doilies from your grandmothers house, quite possibly her antique quilt and treasures from her wardrobe accumulated over a lifetime. There's a definite sense that well-worn clothes are being cited as possible inspirations, reinforced only by clunky school shoes in contrast to ragged hems. For anyone who was left feeling a bit lost amongst the couture collections, saddened by the prospect of never seeing them in person much less wearing those spectacular frocks be comforted in the fact that you can create your own brand of cool clothing.

*Images via Westminster Fashion

Charlotte Scott 2015

The graduate who seemed the most distinct at the Westminster Graduate collection in terms of their aesthetic was undoubtedly Charlotte Scott. It was a menswear collection unlike any other with the most whimsical colour palette which became only heightened by side-swept bowl cuts combined with unbelievably adorable casting. The clothes were just so distinct though- but I'm sure one of those people who fight over bragging rights to being the creator of kidcore or babycore or whatever will show us some drawing they did at age three. That's not something I really want to discuss here but strange subcultures asides the shades of red also reminded me of Back to the Future. Specifically I'm talking about Back to the Future 2, but what I'm really getting at is that when people talk about retro-futurism or how people would dress in the future, this collection seems like a game changer. While there's a lot of hype surrounding Jacquemus who has in many ways pioneered this type of design, I would consider his designs clumsy or somewhat ill-fitting compared to these more sleek and stream-lined designs. This could, however, be largely due to a difference in materials.

*Images via Westminster Fashion

hair-raising

I've taken fashion blogging to new highs in terms of beehive hair, but also lows with what might be the worst (i.e. unoriginal) title for a blog post- ever. That said the content is absolutely fine and in fact I greatly admire the work of Julien d’Ys, who you might recognise as the hair stylist for Rei Kawakubo's colourful collections. In particular, the flamboyant fluorescent yellow locks that graced the stage at the Comme des Garçons Homme Plus presentation. These sculptural hairstyles were just one component of a collection which redefined gender at Paris Fashion Week. I remember seeing the hairstyles for the very first time in a youtube video, featuring the best of mens' fashion week and watching cool and disaffected male models exit the rear of a building. While not hugely practical or something that I can imitate on this blog, I thought the looks were worth sharing as inspiration to other bloggers or simply those who are dissatisfied with their current hairstyle and craving something different.

*Images via Dazed Digital, Photography Ilker Akyol

Niall Cottrell 2015

Continuing the Westminster themed blog posts we find Niall Cottrell, proudly and somewhat emphatically waving the flag for menswear. What really struck me was how wearable the pieces were from each graduate in particular Cottrell's creations. I clicked on a picture from instagram thinking it was J.W. Anderson for profanity's sake! Mind you this was after a full day at the computer editing photos, as well as mindlessly writing in a zombie-lake state for several hours. I loved both the techniques as well as intensity of colour from this collection, which shrouded each figure in a warrior-like silhouette. What I also found interesting were a couple of one shoulder menswear pieces, something which we would typically associate with dressing the female figure. In many ways it challenged our perceptions of gender but in a way which was largely overt. Or rather it was hidden in plain sight amongst a sea of colour.

*Photos via Westminster Fashion

Chloe McDonald 2015

I've long maintained that graduate collections are among the most interesting and innovative but it seems the next generation from Westminster are proving that they are ready for commercial success as well. I was instantly reminded of Japanese designers such as Comme Des Garcons as well as the artistic flair of Claire Barrow. It also marked a badass transition from the typical winged eyeliner which every 20-something year old was obsessed with. Aside from the biker jackets, spontaneous use of tinsel and metallic threads I loved the thick strapped sandals. They reminded me so much of Agyness Deyn's collaboration for Dr Martens released a few years ago which simply reinforces this idea of the London fashion scene being a tight knit community. Obviously the shoes were the icing on some kind of extended metaphor about a cake because the biker jackets were without a doubt the centre of attention. Although it seems that each look is simply derivative of a single idea, if you look closely each jacket was made from a different designs. I did a little sewing as a sophomore in high school but I can only imagine how difficult it would be to work with leather. That's part of the reason why McDonald is seriously deserving of praise and accolades.

*Photos via WestminsterFashion

Fendi Resort 2015

The silhouettes so often employed by the trendiest fashion bloggers and editors meets colour and imagination, finally. Fendi has created the embodiment of twenty-first century chic while simultaneously injecting colour and substance, as the continuation some of their more successful motifs from Spring/ Summer. The familiar alligator tails in leather can be seen on some of the bags, as well as the owl bag charms alongside some of Fendi's signature totes. Accessories aside, this collection had a greater emphasis on the tailoring of the pants and aforementioned silhouettes exaggerated by the slightly unnatural poses of the model. Don't get me wrong I love being sold on the idea of transcending all human capabilities and never feeling awkward or uncomfortable but when attempting some of these slouchy gravity-bending poses, in reality, they look far less spectacular.  Jibes aside I was intrigued by those statement jackets and long skirts combining the best of troupe-like obsessions with the splendor of high fashion.

Although it's only a short collection, I feel like Fendi were able to curate a number of different ideas and execute them well. Each outfit was holistic in its approach, but lacked cohesion necessary for either Spring or Fall. In many ways it was a composite of some of the house's more decadent, as well as their more well-received pieces all rolled into one. There was also some tentative experimentation with texture in addition to those spectacular colorways. On a completely unrelated note, after staring transfixed at the mysterious floating model, as well as circular designs featured on a number of shoes that there are explicit mod references within this collection. Of course, it's all so subtle and with the pseudo-uppercut featured in a number of different looks it all feels so modern. In reality the collection does not belong to a particular decade or heavily borrow from a specific place- it exists across all time and outside it. Fashion collections have that kind of mind-altering affect on me, especially after I have spend hours staring at coal or have had very little sleep. Floating models don't help that either.