London

Woman for Women. Simone Rocha AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

Talented women with their distinct style rule in London. There’s Marta Jakubowski and Molly Goddard. There’s Victoria Beckham and Mary Katrantzou. And there’s Simone Rocha, whose autumn-winter 2019 was one of the very best collections I’ve seen this season. Rocha designs for women – and women love her. Seeing her runway graced by women of different ages, colour and body types was a female power moment, yes, but also an ode to the brand’s clients who trust Simone every season. Chloë Sevigny, Tess McMillan, Kristen Owen, Lily Cole, Sara Grace Wallerstedt, Ugbad Abdi… whether models or not, runway veterans or bold newcomers, all those faces are amazing individuals and characters. And, also, it’s an ultimate proof that full-skirted dresses and coats aren’t only meant for 20-somethings, just like organza see-throughs, bras worn over trench coats and opulent headbands. The collection was a study of female eroticism, a debate between being the object of desire and owning it. As the designer put it in her own words, “it was a about intimacy and privacy, security and insecurity”. Rocha looked at Michael Powell’s disturbing films (like ‘Peeping Tom’, the voyeuristic horror), but also returned to her long-time inspiration – Louise Bourgeois. The artist investigates the subject of sex and tenderness in her works, which as well often takes a darker turn. “I found her series of weavings which she’d made with fabric from her own clothes particularly beautiful,” Simone said. The spiderweb embroideries and prints Rocha used for puffball coats and dresses were made in collaboration with the Louise Bourgeois Foundation – could you wish for a more heartwarming artist appreciation moment? Still, while the themes behind the collection might be not exactly joyous and lightweight, the models – we see you, Chloë – were all smiley and visibly proud to be walking that outstanding show.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki, feauturing a painting by Genieve Figgis. 

Dressed for The Storm. Molly Goddard AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

You might know Molly Goddard for her voluminous tulle dresses, but it would be a mistake to say that her brand is nothing more than that. Goddard’s autumn-winter 2019 was one of her best, as it didn’t only demonstrate how she can expand her style, but also, it showed her signature in a new context. “Dressed for the storm” is how the designer describe the look of the season. If knitted balaclavas, utilitarian accessories and weatherproof knee-high boots didn’t exactly ring a bell, then the wind machines installed on the runway were a quite straightforward metaphor. The way Molly’s XXL tulles in green and pink drifted in the abrupt air was so, so beautiful, simply speaking. Rhombus patterned knits, easy-looking frocks and laid-back tailoring were as well something new, a nod to the English countryside style (I’m thinking of Stella Tennant and Isabella Cowdor’s style seen in their Holland & Holland reinvention). Goddard’s shows are always a delight, whether it’s a kitchen after-party, Mediterranean market or an imaginary storm.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki feauturing a painting by Genieve Figgis. 

It’s Fashion. Matty Bovan AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

London fashion week has fashion, written with a capital letter. Basically it’s something New York fashion week rarely has anything to do with (even though this season wasn’t that bad, as we had bold Tomo Koizumi and Area). But back to London. Matty Bovan is the person who seems to be out of the serious, commercial fashion cycle. That’s why everybody loves him, from Love Magazine’s Katie Grand to Coach’s Stuart Vevers, who collaborates with Bovan on accessories. Matty’s autumn-winter 2019 collection was a fabulous madhouse. The garments felt like three-dimensional collages, even like assamblage art. The colourful knits were beautifully destructed, while the closing gowns were layered and layered with patches, tassels, leftover fabrics and who knows what else. It’s fun, bad in a good away, a middle finger to the established system of what a ready-to-wear collection should look (and be) like. It’s good to know somebody does it. It’s a very rare thing nowadays – sadly.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

She Had A Flower in Her Mouth. Marta Jakubowski AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

Marta Jakubowski is a London-based designer who was born in Poland and raised in Germany. She graduated with MA Womenswear from the Royal College of Art London and was selected to showcase her collections during London Fashion Week as part of the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN initiative since. Marta Jakubowski has worked with brands including Hussein Chalayan, Alexander Wang and Jonathan Saunders, and has developed an unmistakable minimalist signature – sharp tailoring. She was shortlisted for the LVMH prize and Woolmark prize 2018 and continues to showcase her seasonal collections in London. Her minimalist, distinctive aesthetic envisions a mysterious woman, never obvious. Jakubowski’s autumn-winter 2019 highlights are: the deconstructed, masculine coat in brown and the equally dissected red knit that seems to connect with the person wearing it, like some sort of alien organism. Models  who walked the designer’s runway had an anthurium in their mouth, which you might read solely as a visual treat, or maybe, as a hidden message. In many cultures, this flower symbolizes hospitality. Does it relate to Marta’s collection in any way? Interpret it the way you really want to…

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Chopova Lowena

| Design & Culture by Ed

Meet Chopova Lowena, one of the most fascinating, emerging brands in London. Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena‘s Central Saint Martins MA graduate collection began with them looking at Bulgaria’s mountain dwellers, particularly the women, and the way they dressed. There, they found all the contrasting elements they felt so intrigued with, like intricate handmade folk costumes worn with secondhand western sneakers and sunglasses. The same spirit of new and old, rare and mainstream, was reflected in their autumn-winter 2018 look-book shot by Charlotte Wales (with whom the designers worked on Kukeri – Chopova Lowena, a photographic portfolio focusing on Bulgarian culture and the traditional fur-clad masked Kukeri).The label is already known for its harmonious juxtapositions, subtly combining modernity and nostalgia, luxury and kitsch, craftsmanship and humour. Skin-tight layers of brightly printed mesh are paired with their signature Bulgarian pleats in wool and nylon. Big, punk-ish belts double as mini-skirts underneath delicate harnesses made from metal hardware – very Vivienne-Westwood-gone-ethnic. Chopova Lowena has an anthropological approach to design, observing traditional customs and revisiting them through a contemporary lens. Their design ethos stems from a desire to work with niche and forgotten techniques, and to collaborate with craftsmen in small Eastern European and English communities. By working with artisans, they aim to preserve disappearing crafts – that is quite a t to praise in today’s fashion industry. Take a look at the designers’ works, from 2017 and 2018, below.

Chopova Lowena’s latest offering is actually a mini-collection of three, hand-knitted sweaters. With this project, which launched on their website just now, the Emma and Laura “sought to take this one step further by attempting to create knitwear with the sole purpose of highlighting the manufacturing processes behind it”, as Another puts it. The process behind the sweaters spanned across borders. The works began with wool from Yorkshire mills, which was then knitted into the pieces by three skilled craftswomen from a village in Bulgaria’s remote mountain region. The knits look more than lovely – it’s visible that they’re warm and will serve for years, years to come.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki. Photos by Charlotte Wales and Laura Lowena.