#010: Fashion Week Chit Chat PART2...

Typically, London Fashion Week is the most creative of all four cities. But what happened this season? Some exceed where as some feel flat.

Mary Katrantzou in recent seasons became one of my all time favorite designers. The mix of bold prints with colours brighter than the eyebrows at Badgley Mischka with silhouettes channeling those who wish to look like lampshades. There is no stopping the incredible Greek Goddess that is, Mary Katrontzou. Judging by the the textures and silhouettes used throughout, it's pretty clear, Katrantzou was inspired by the underwater world; Mermaids to be exact.

This season, I was pleasantly surprised, sort of. Like every other season, prints is what sets Mary apart from the rest of the designers in London. Although, this season, her signature prints were not as loud or noticeable as previous seasons. What I found most interesting is her use of texture, manipulating small fractions of textured lace mimicking the seaweed from the ocean; in an array of colours from black to pale, pastel purples all of which adds to the fantasy world under the sea. Despite the influence of the sea, a rather strange and off-topic print of a chameleon was randomly placed. It's a great print and a wonderful silhouette, but a little random if you ask me. One thing I was hugely bothered by was the final five looks. Unflattering, disheveled and pretty much a huge disappointment, just a select words I would best describe them. I totally understood the idea behind the cutouts placed on top of sheer fabric, but the result what not good. In the slightest. At all. The colours, textures were on par, but the execution was not.

For my second designer, I wanted to report on someone who isn't as well-known in comparison to other mainstream luxury brands like Burberry and Christopher Kane. Ashish Gupta, undoubtedly one of London's growing stars. One of the many incredible things about London based designers is that they don't an f-ing care just like Alexander McQueen's early days. It's hilarious. Gupta first hit my radar last season where extravagant, and extremely tacky 'VOGUE JEANS' graced the runway. I had to watch the entire show. It's so bad and so ugly that it's incredible. True London style I guess, right?

For his Spring/Summer 2015 collection, Gupta decided the dance floor was the place to be, quite literally. Both male and female models walked the runway in technicolor shift dresses and saggy [another sports reference] shorts. I'm personally not a HUGE fan of sparkle overload, unlike Gupta. In a way, it's like movies that use a massive tune of product placement...It's a little overkill. It's like Swarovski crystals threw up on everything. Everywhere. But who am I to judge someone's personal style. We all have one. Saying that, I have to applaud Gupta on giving a well rounded collection where sweaters of Kimye sat rather candidly. Despite the crystal/sequin overload, denim has played a role where jeans smerd in the faces of One Direction, some were even faced backwards (genius, right? I didn't see anything like that before, and it's rather obvious too). I'm sure when the collection goes into production, some of the items will be dumb down, you know, for the every day person to wear. I'm really excited to see what else Ashish Gupta has in store for us in the future.

PART3...is coming very soon! Make sure to keep up-to-date with me on social media. Instagram: eamonncollins // Facebook: Eamonn Collins' // SnapChat: eamonncollins