bonyadi magazine
Corsets, craft and curly wigs: highlights from London fashion week autumn/winter 2024 – in pictures
From Maria Callas and Le Corbusier to nosy neighbours and Queen Victoria’s mourning dress, the inspirations at London fashion week were eclectic and surprising
JW ANDERSON
Jonathan Anderson gave us a skewed take on grandparents’ style for AW24. From the first outfit that looked like a giant ball of wool to the cosy, albeit slightly ugly slippers, even granny’s grey curls were shown as wig hats. In the post-show debrief the designer talked about the lost phenomenon of the nosy neighbour looking over the garden fence in today’s fast-paced world. Looks riffed on a bygone age made cool by passing fads – skirts made from horse-riding rosette ribbons, supersized grandpa coats, M&S-style pointelle undies and those sheepskin-lined boxy slippers
SIMONE ROCHA
AW24 was the third and final chapter of a triptych of shows from Simone Rocha starting with SS24, The Dress Rehearsal, and moving on to her recent couture show, The Procession, for Jean Paul Gaultier. This collection, called The Wake, explored the mourning dress of Queen Victoria which Rocha was invited to view at the Hampton Court Palace archive. Corsetry and boning played a key role in the silhouette, and every detail was exquisitely considered, from the faux fur trims and crystal embellished breast cups to the rose bud decorated eyebrows. A masterclass in gothic beauty
MOLLY GODDARD
Molly Goddard’s AW24 collection consisted of expertly executed frothy concoctions of tulle and taffeta skirts and tops shown layered to heighten the sense of volume. The colour palette packed a punch with shades of neon orange, magenta, red and pink. Balletic tulle skirts were paired with soft slouchy knitwear adorned with knitted roses. Other influences came from Goddard’s eBay watch list, including children’s cowboy dresses, resulting in a piped yoke and cuff detail coat over baggy jeans and western appliqué shirts. A visual delight
SAUL NASH
Flyers with the dress code “No hoods/No hats/No trainers” were Saul Nash’s starting point for AW24, remembering how his older brother would sneak him into garage raves. Dressing up sportswear became the theme of the collection: Sebago loafers with Vibram soles replaced trainers and knitwear evolved into knitted blazers. Nash’s clothes are always cut for movement, as was demonstrated here by the models who danced down the catwalk. A collaboration with Smiley saw the iconic rave logo cleverly used across a tracksuit
ERDEM
Erdem Moralıoğlu’s AW24 collection was a tribute to soprano Maria Callas; a celebration of her Greek heritage and the blurred line between her on and off stage personas. Referencing her 1953 career-defining performance of Medea, silhouettes included nipped-in-waist full-skirted gowns, daubed in red paint echoing the painted costumes Callas wore, tweed skirt suits and imposing opera coats trimmed with marabou feathers that danced. Roses on shoes nodded to those thrown on stage during encores. A spine-tingling performance by the British soprano Nadine Benjamin closed the show
PREEN BY THORNTON & BREGAZZI
Preen’s return to London fashion week saw the duo raid their archive. Justin Thornton explained backstage, “Reading Mary Shelley, one of the most influential Victorians, we realised we had so much Victorian influence in our archive. This collection is super gothic with dark colours and a touch of grunge.” There was a Shelley-inspired Frankenstein element to the looks, and a blazer fused with a bomber jacket created the illusion of two jackets layered. Floral-printed eiderdowns were transformed into a coat and skirt inspired by the labels evolving homeware line
LABRUM LONDON
This year marks a decade since Labrum’s foundation, so the Tate Britain felt like an aptly prestigious venue to mark the brand’s 10-year milestone. Designer Foday Dumbuya is often inspired by migration: this time, it was a celebration of immigrants and the cultural richness they bring. England rugby player Maro Itoje, whose family emigrated to Britain from Nigeria, opened the show. The label’s signatures were there – bright tailoring and Nomoli-figure patterns – as well as some newer touches, such as passport-printed silks and, our highlight, a reimagination of the duffle coat.
MARQUES’ALMEDIA
Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida, the creative duo behind Marques’Almeida, often find themselves looking to the 90s for inspiration. This season they refined their trademark grunge aesthetic with a touch of elegance. Taken with the idea of growing up, the models were those who worked with the brand in its early days alongside their children. Though the brand DNA was present through acid-wash denim and tough leather jackets, the designers used satin to construct eveningwear-ready dresses with an edge, too. A welcome evolution of the Marques’Almeida woman
TOLU COKER
Tolu Coker used this season as an opportunity to celebrate her Nigerian heritage. At the Old Selfridges Hotel, a mother-like figure opened the show by addressing the audience like her children, before the designer sent models strutting down the catwalk in a range of Sunday Best-inspired looks. The high-octane collection was full of elegant two-piece sets, bright mini dresses and a range of eye-catching headwear – an energy that was matched by the soundtrack from Nigerian artist Seyi Vibez
DILARA FINDIKOGLU
Dilara Findikoglu’s AW24 show was about toxic masculinity and (hopefully) its demise. The designer created an alternate reality where feminine power is the ruling force, with each model given a title (Female Territory, Fragile Ego and Cleopatra, among others), working with movement director, Pat Boguslawski, (known for his work with Maison Margiela) on a theatrical catwalk presentation. She gave bloke-core pieces a feminist makeover, transforming a football shirt with corseting, while a sports scarf became a halter neck top
BURBERRY
Daniel Lee’s AW24 outing for Burberry doubled down on the great outdoors and British weather, putting coats centre stage. Moleskin trenches sat alongside duffle coats and field jackets. “Burberry’s heritage of the outdoors continues to inspire me … I wanted this collection to feel warm and protective,” he said in his show notes. The show space was a huge festival-like tent that took over Victoria Park in east London. The cast of models included a host of Brit faces, from Agyness Deyn, Karen Elson and Lily Cole to Naomi Campbell, who all walked to a soundtrack of Amy Winehouse
PAOLO CARZANA
Paolo Carzana is the subject of much fashion industry buzz, a recipient of BFC NewGen funding and a current semi-finalist in the LVMH prize (the finalists are announced next month). His clothes, handmade and dyed with plant dyes (part of the set mimicked his studio with bowls of dye and dried flowers arranged on benches), sit outside of trends. Fabrics include rose petal fibre and peace silk. There’s an ethereal quality to the draped pieces, crafted around the body, focusing on form. It’s reductive to call him the next Alexander McQueen” but Carzana is definitely one to watch.
