Saturday was my busiest day at LC:M, and I was seriously feeling it by the evening. With nine shows to see, it was an early start and a late finish – but it was really, really fun.
Berthold commenced the day, with incredibly architectural, minimal pieces in monochrome. The models’ hair was slicked into a Flock of Seagulls, gravity defying wave, the only nod to a curved line in the presentation. My eye was caught by trousers that looked like they were constructed from glistening rubble (see above).
London’s oldest tailor is Ede & Ravenscroft, a 330 year old institution that couldn’t have been more at odds with Berthold’s stark offering. They offered a completely different aesthetic, and indeed hired a completely different model to most of the other shows. While cheddar-carving cheekbones were still present and correct, these boys had a bit more meat on their bones. The waif-like look was left firmly at the door. They sported impeccably cut suits in sumptuous shades of plum and forest green, and carried gorgeous leather holdalls to complete the ‘weekend in the country’ image. I left that showroom all of a flutter, I can tell you.
My first runway show of the season was YMC (You Must Create), and my fantastic seat meant that my photos were pants. Luckily, others manage to capture the 20 year old British label’s very androgynous collection. I could literally picture myself in any of the above – hats included. They have long been known for their gender-bending womenswear, but the hoods and fedoras combo is something I’d like to experiment with. Notice the stripes, shearling and the bomber shape – prevailing themes.
Next was an installation by forever fun Hentsch Man. The theme was ‘Peep Show’, and there was a distinct whiff of disco about the presentation; Anita Ward’s ‘Ring My Bell’ blared over the speakers, while the models played air bass and drank beer. True to form, colour was the overriding feature of the show, with slogan tees bearing phrases like ‘Son of a Gun’. Brazilian-born Alexia Hentsch has her heritage writ large over each of her collections, and they are richer for it. Other designers take note – clothes are fun.
Next, a sprint over to Victoria House to watch the Agi & Sam runway. The Yorkshire lads are known to nail it each season, so pressure was on. But by heck, they delivered.
The collection was based on a trip back to Agi’s family home, where is mother showed him some sketches he had done as a child, entitled the ‘CoolMan’ collection. Agi and Sam then got in touch with their old primary schools, asking the children to draw ‘fashion’ as they perceived it. The result was a Mondrian-esque, deconstructed approach to style. The boys stayed true to brief, with ankle swinging, wide legged trousers (didn’t we all draw trousers like this?!) and striking lego face pieces. The random colour-blocking, too, stayed true to the aesthetic laid out.
Soulland next, with their ‘Exotic Erotic’ installation. Intensely textured, the interactive show came with its own app – sadly, my phone is not new enough to accept the tech, but I heard it really enhanced the viewing experience. Interestingly, there was a nod to football, with jersey-shaped tops and supporter scarves. There was an interesting peacoat with a carpet-bag feel to it, and bombers and shearling made another appearance.
Back to Victoria House to see Matthew Miller’s ‘Resistant’ show, a collection exploring harmony in chaos. Clothes were taken apart and put back together, tassels adorned long smock tops, and the matte finishes on the biker jackets were seriously lust-worthy. Although not pictured, Miller also opted to use female models on his runway, wearing identical clothes to the boys. The apparel was all truly androgynous, and a real talking point at a party…!
Finally were the Tateossian and Dazed x Harvey Nichols parties. Tateossian is a purveyor of unique mens’ jewellery and accessories, and they had some incredible pieces on show. From cufflinks made of meteorite to tie pins containing real, tiny scorpions, the label is one for the discerning male style maven.
The Dazed x Harvey Nicks party included a performative display featuring the clothes of Trapstar. The Kubrickian show started with a central model banging a staff on the ground, while other, dead-eyed models stood around him in a circle. The clothes were dark, edgy, with bleak slogans and skull imagery. Combine that with an open bar, and it made for an evening a little less ordinary. A fitting way to end day two.
Words by Elizabeth Nash
