FOR Paula Knorr, a newcomer to LFW supported by Topshop’s Newgen scheme for young designers, the female body is a canvas to draw upon. Literally. Her SS17 collection, presented at the ICA, was full of pieces featuring black and white drawings but also colourful brush strokes usually using a white fabric reminiscent of a painter’s canvas in the form of body-hugging turtlenecks, silk dresses, jackets and stocking shoes. Even heavy embroideries displayed on two long dresses using thick yarn felt more like abstract paintings.
Even Knorr’s more structural pieces felt like art inspired by the female figure, as well as their individuality and emotions, hence the use of angry reds and calm whites among others. Metallic leather was moulded into turtlenecks, a bodycon dress and trousers with big ruffles, Knorr’s signature, down the sides like sculptures. The same was done with red waxed leather and pearly white velvet dress.
Trousers were arguably the most stand-out pieces in the collection – ruffled by the sides, as previously mentioned, floor sweeping and wide made out of liquid-like silk or the sides were slit all the way up to reveal thigh-high ruffled open-toe boots.
by Sara Hesikova
Images courtesy of Alex English