Roland Mouret has attempted to eschew a few conventions this season and his integrity has shone through his looser AW14 silhouettes and in honouring the genuine (couture) article, he claims, “We could get them through Photoshop, but now we’re achieving them in real life. We’re reaching the point where ready-to-wear is now at the level that couture was in the 1950.”
And onward it was, with luxurious craftsmanship that exhibited an indifference to trends, sculpting collaged materials created a new body-con silhouette for Mouret, beginning with the distinctive rolled-leather collars that expelled a plethora of stylish pieces. First, there was a speckling of classic checked prints, rendered with a graphic tribal twist, referencing an on-going craving for tribal styling this season, cut in unique Constructivist forms, and once in a while, frills spilled into pristine sliced skirts.
Rebuking the may pole frills, some pleasant mermaid hemlines emerged, and functional, yet oh so ornamental, zips adorned the especially made-for-Mouret bricolage assortment of fabrics this season. A heady palette of musky, permeated tones sowed the seeds for such safe staples as cashmere coats with the ubiquitous, yet detachable, leather trim, standing, however as one of the crowning glories of the overall formal collection.
The somewhat frivolous application of large ostrich feathers, intricate and divinely off-beat nonetheless, beckoned viewers to take a closer look as the show neared its culmination. The role that pattern cutting played this season, and unquestionably, the appeal of many pieces will no doubt get people talking, although, if Mouret wants people to stand up and really tune into his aversion to trends, he may have to pull out a few more stops, even so, the designer’s understanding of his label is terrific.
by Liam Feltham
Images courtesy of Style.com