NEVER one to shy away from the outlandish, Matty Bovan and his SS19 collection drifted between comforts from a suburban Yorkshire home to futuristic design ready to disrupt an industry leaning dangerously close to convention. For Bovan this meant a fashion lesson told through imaginary characters in a future universe.
With a strong sense of purpose, each look that graced the runway triggered a new idea and a new way of thinking about fashion and how we express ourselves. This season, Matty Bovan explored the concept of sempiternity, an existence within time but infinitely into the future. Inspired by the work of an old hero, the artist and filmmaker, Derek Jarman, Bovan says he designed his SS19 collection to test “the limits of taste” and, in turn, today’s political climate.
Opening the show was a voluminous ball gown made up of clashing prints and bundles of tulle. Metallic thread was woven into the corset to create a wet look gleam and colourful cable ties cascaded out from below the dress to build a visual disharmony between soft and hard. With the help of Stephen Jones Millinery, as the show continued, head attire was decorated with flowers, feather dusters, and fake money. Bovan was exploring his idea of the natural world whilst also making a subtle nod to his childhood, as well as his relationship with London and its often-crippling commercial structure.
To mirror this confusing exploration, materials ranged from velour to jersey to knit, designs ranged from boilersuits to princess gowns to bodycon dresses. The jewellery was bold and embellished to gleam in the light, and handbags, the fruits of his first commercial handbag line with Coach, were at some points oversized and on others too small to fit anything but your iPhone in. With each look standing in such contrast to the last, the show was eclectic and an incredible display of raw talent.
This is an exciting time for Bovan. With his new handbag collection, in collaboration with Coach, now on sale Matty Bovan is building global recognition and simultaneously, a global fanbase. His SS19 collection, therefore, is his most important yet and has provided the perfect opportunity to indulge in all of his creative ideas and influences, however daring they may be.
by Lily Rimmer