AMID the bustle of big name shows, extravagant locations and A-list front rows, there are a handful of collections worthy of your attention.
Natasha Zinko
Exploring the components that make us human with her spring-summer 2024 collection, Ukrainian-born Natasha Zinko went back to our very beginnings and looked at how we survived and what we survived with.
Drenched in attitude, darkness and strength, what unravelled was an offering of uniforms built through layering and playing with proportions – cropped and oversized – that came together to hint at her homeland’s unrest.
Aaron Esh
Having gained momentum earlier this year as a finalist for the prestigious LVMH Prize, Central Saint Martins alumni Aaron Esh made his debut this London Fashion Week.
The London-based namesake brand combines the rigour of Savile Row tailoring with British sub-cultures, creating a fusion of genderless-wear that balances the beauty of tradition with the force of rebellion.
So for SS24, the designer was informed by his adolescence, looking at bootleg jeans and bomber jackets, that were paired with more reformed pieces like sharpened moleskin suit jackets, pleated trousers and satin-shawl lapels. The marriage of his past with the more rigid city framework made for a collection few will forget.
Ray Chu
In the true spirit of spring-summer, Ray Chu was inspired by the oceans and the endless beauty within them – specifically the Manta Ray. Drawing from the colours of the beaches and the vast array of hues within its depths, SS24 intertwines the bold spirt of the sea creature with the freedom of movement.
Harnessing 3D printing technology to recreate the skeleton of a Manta Ray as well as using 80% fabrics that use natural materials, the designer’s homage to the sea didn’t come at the expense of not being environmentally responsible.
Photograph: Paul Perelka
Photograph: Paul Perelka
Photograph: Paul Perelka
Ashish
“Everybody’s a star” glittered this phrase at the back of the runway. And it definitely felt like that after witnessing Ashish’s SS24 show. It was a dazzling return of the sequin king to the LFW schedule, as his body-sex-everything positive presentation was nothing short of serotonin-injecting.
The collection was a myriad of colours, tulle, glass-embroidery and crochet, it was fun, it was bold and it certainly left you wanting to put on your dancing shoes.
by Imogen Clark