When it comes to fashion week, a runway format doesn’t suit all designers, and a presentation can allow them to showcase their collection in a more intimate and creative setting. This season at London Fashion Week there were 18 performances on schedule, ranging from 824 individual sneakers to energetic dance performances, and FashionUnited shares its five favourites.
Helen Kirkum ‘Step Back’
Helen Kirkum Studio, known for creating new sneakers by repurposing old ones, presented a presentation entitled ‘Step Back’, where it presented the brand’s production process and the development of its exclusive reworked Palimpsest sneakers.
Kirkum said he wanted to use the presentation to share information about the production process and set the stage for his biweekly trips to the warehouse to get his recycled materials. The result was four twenty-metre rows displaying 824 individual shoes collected from a recycling center in London.
“10 days ago we had planned a completely different show, but it just didn’t feel right for me,” explained Kirkum in the show notes. “Looking around the studio, I thought it was important to capture what we face every day and the greater purpose of the brand. The value of our products is in the story, so I wanted to show the beauty, texture and purpose of our products through the raw materials.”
The individual shoes on display will become the brand’s AW23 production, producing a total of 137 Palimpsest pairs for the season. The collection will feature three new color palettes including wild moss, dusty stone and faded black, with a limited number available for pre-order on its website.
Ancuta Sarca AW23
Romanian shoe designer Ancuta Sarca, who focuses on recycling footwear and accessories, returned to London Fashion Week with a Fall/Winter 2023 collection inspired by AI and nature.
Sarca, a Fashion East alum and 2022 Andam Fashion Awards finalist, showcased her AW23 collection in the space at the Old Selfridges Hotel, incorporating sustainably sourced wood logs encased in metal beams to illustrate how nature and technology can coexist. harmoniously.
The collection celebrates the “splendour of nature,” explains the designer in the show notes, offering the brand’s key styles through a retrofuturistic lens, such as the use of vintage quilted nylon jackets in boots designed to withstand alpine temperatures and create sharp points. . high heels adorned with roller-tipped faux fur.
In addition, there were loafers and square-toed boots made of leather and sporty mesh that carry over the design language of previous seasons.
For the first time, Sarca also worked with denim in partnership with Lee, applying denim to backless pumps and clogs from repurposed denim jackets, alongside two tight looks, also in dead denim, including bralettes, detachable sleeves and a leather fake dead stock synthetic trim.
Harri AW23
Indian-born, London-based menswear designer Harri, who made headlines earlier this month for his stunning inflatable outfit worn by Sam Smith at the 2023 Brit Awards, unveiled his Fall/Winter 2023 collection with an energetic theatrical performance .
For chapter two, Harri continued her tactile exploration of the boundaries of wearable art and clothing, confronting her flamboyant and now signature sculptural balloon silhouette and molding it into newly refined, more accessible forms.
The performance at the Old Selfridges Hotel was created in collaboration with KK Obi, founder of Boy Brother Friend, and offered a ‘Life is a Cabaret’ style performance to show how his inflatable “balloon pants” can be used.
In addition to her inflatable latex pants, Harri also showcased her curvy balloon shapes through new textures and fibers, adding tact to her collection.
Completed Works AW23
London jewelery and housewares brand Completedworks by Anna Judeusbury, which documents the beauty and intricacy of every day, unveiled its Fall/Winter 2023 collection with a presentation where models wore pretty jewelery and played with jam.
Completedworks, which works primarily with recycled materials, was inspired by how we preserve, protect and maintain everyday items, as well as the use of bubble wrap to protect them.
This resulted in a playful performance inside the re-imagined room of the dust-covered grand house, where models wore pearl jewelry crafted into chaotic shapes, silver and gold pieces that looked as if they had been dented in motion, and standout earrings and rings. in topaz.
Toga Archives ‘Reveal Liberation From Within’
For Toga Archives’ AW23 presentation, designer Yasuko Furuta explored the feeling of being free from constraints while still offering security and comfort in clothing, such as coats that showcase elements that are normally hidden to invite the body out.
Set against the backdrop of London’s skyline from the top floor of the One Hundred Hotel in Shoreditch, the collection drew a crowd for its impeccable tailoring and unexpected revelations. There were tailored jackets to open wide at the chest, shirts with manipulated cutouts and bows to reveal what’s inside.
Other highlights were blazers with ruffled hems that can be pinned, coats finished in faux fur with heavy embellishments, parkas with mirrored magazine pockets on the outside and cropped puffer jackets. These were paired with schoolgirl V-neck vests, pleated skirts, leather pants, shirts with large collars, and dresses that look like they’ve been twisted onto the models.