Less prestigious than the Parisian, Milanese or New York fashion weeks, London Fashion Week stands out with the highlighting of young designers who are shaping the future of fashion but also more inclusive and less standardized models. This original positioning also has an impact on the creations presented and the stylists’ sources of inspiration are sometimes surprising… Thus, the Ukrainian Masha Popova turned to the side of enormous 4X4 Monster trucks, while the Chinese Susan Fang created a series of airy dresses.
Masha Popova’s Monster Trucks
At Masha Popova, the skirts are mini, the waist is always low, and the jeans are even low-cut on the hips.
The Ukrainian designer known for her “obsession with handling denim” has once again worked on this material. This time, the denim is dyed, faded, worn, scuffed or transformed into patchwork to give it a “resistant”, “solid” appearance.
The collection entitled “Monster” refers to Monster trucks, these 4X4 vehicles with oversized wheels. The “electrifying color palette” even in the hair of certain models recalls the flashy bodies of these machines. The skinny models (with the exception of a single plus-size model) parade to the rhythm of techno music punctuated by the roar of an engine.
The Ukrainian designer counted among her distinguished guests the cream of TikTok, the superstar of the social network Abby Roberts, followed by more than 16 million people, or her sister Charlotte Roberts, who has nearly 9 million followers, up to to fashion content creator and model Emma Winder.
Although not a fan of “double denim” (understanding outfits entirely made of denim), Emma Winder really appreciated the tones and the “earthy” appearance given to the clothes, she confided to AFP at the release of the parade.
A dress made from 600 pearl trees at Susan Fang
Chinese Susan Fang created her brand in 2017, just after graduating from London’s Central Saint Martins University. Since then, she has made dresses with a light appearance using airy textiles, her trademark.
For spring and summer 2024, she hung large white kite wings above the models who parade: they represent “human civilization and emotions”, next to a character, “a cold robot », also made of white sails.
It offers dresses and skirts made with tulle ruffles. Its black, pale pink or cream skirts, which reach below the knee, are worn with simple bralettes that barely cover the chest.
The designer also designed a skirt made entirely of pearls, which falls in fringe at the ankles.
On the feet, summer sandals are worn with socks marked with the initials “SF”.
The most spectacular piece is a dress made from 600 handmade bead trees, mostly by Chinese minority women. Susan Fang wanted to create “an ensemble resembling the tree of life, radiating the pure energy of human life.”
Among the models, a woman with a prosthesis in place of her right leg parades in a short skirt. The British Fashion Council (BFC), the organizer of London Fashion Week, wants the event to be increasingly “inclusive”. In fact, on the catwalks, women of all origins paraded, as well as several plus-size models, and now a woman with a visible disability. The parades continue on Sunday with Sinead Gorey and Erdem.