As London Fashion Week rolls into town, FAULT are reporting from the key shows you need to know for SS16. Read our curated guide to the season here on the blog and Follow FAULT Magazine on Instagram and Twitter for live updates.

 

Anya Hindmarch

After the notoriety of her last few seasons, all eyes were on Anya Hindmarch to see what wild reinvention she’d come up with next. And she didn’t disappoint; after the fashion revival of Kellogg’s, and the chic transformation of road signs, Hindmarch turned her attention to the great British high street for her SS16 offering.

Hindmarch has shown inimitable skill in tapping into nostalgia, and the show space was agog today as high street favourites were reinvented for high fashion purposes. Tessellation also played a key theme, with logos and lines cleverly spaced, and models performing gymnastic moves in the mirrored set to kaleidoscopic effect.

But on to the pieces; John Lewis’ famous diagonal stripes were emblazoned across coats, jumpers and leotards in muted shades of burgundy, charcoal, teal and of course, forest green, with ‘John’ printed across the front of handbags too. Mothercare’s and Nationwide’s blue logos got the same treatment; printed onto swing coats and knee-high boots for a gloriously retro 60s vibe. WHSmith’s garishly 1970s logo was big and bold on vinyl coats and bags, burning bright in shades of burnt orange, rust and umber.

But the piece de resistance? Boots’ classic logo, printed on to… boots. Turning a high-street chemist into a high fashion holy grail – Anya Hindmarch, we salute you.

Laura Hudson

 

Amanda Wakeley

Amanda Wakeley is one of those brands that I am excited to see season after season. It’s not the kind of brand that goes out of it’s way to shock or make a statement, it is just one of those brands that consistently delivers each time.

This season, Wakeley felt drawn to the inspiring and gravity defying work of Santiago Calatrava. Calatrava is a Spanish-born architect, originally trained, as a structural engineer who used his training and design skills to create works of art. The strength and delicacy of his work is what Wakeley has attempted to convey in her SS16 collection.

What worked really well in this collection was the use of colour. Using dark tones with a pastel pink and white, didn’t deter from the silhouette yet was strong enough to hold its ground. Let’s not forget the beautiful print that used lines and tone to create in depth structures within the garment. It truly reflected the modern and structural approach of Calatrava.
The silhouette for the collection was overall quite soft. Long lengths of chiffon flowed in the models’ wake, beautifully minimilatist jackets were belted at the waist and thick oversized sweaters with sheer panelled backs.

This season marked a milestone birthday for the brand, 25 years young and still with so much more to give. Amanda Wakeley has built her brand on the ideals of a strong and independent woman. This woman shines through in each collection and I can’t wait to see to what heights she reaches next.

Emma Ellen

 

Toga 

Toga revealed its SS16 collection on the final day of Fashion Week and boy, was it a show to remember! Described as “Petals, Minerals, Squiggles”, designer Yasuko Furuta studied her “complex woman” through themes based on the natural elements.

A clay backdrop and a trio of trees set the backdrop for a collection inspired by nature and weather. Trans-seasonal daywear kicked off the show, with pieces perfect for the chaotic weather both in London and in the designer’s home city of Japan; the white mesh coat, nude ruffles and gingham and vinyl dresses weren’t exactly practical, but so chic.

Detailing featured heavily throughout the collection, with layers of tiny bronze fish-scale sequins and multi-coloured ruffles catching the eye as each model sashayed down the runway. This attention to detail and over-exaggeration of some pieces sometimes made for a chaotic look, but what is nature if not a bit wild?!

Laura Hudson

 

Ashish

Sequins, sequins and more sequins are all you should ever expect at an Ashish show.
This brand is like no other – Ashish Gupta’s Indian heritage often comes into play influencing the texture, print and colour of a collection, but there is also this punk attitude of the 1980s London that always seems to sneak its way into the brands style. Garments are known for being sequined and studded, and sexy yet dominating. This unique balance of juxtaposition means that there is never a dull moment at an Ashish show.
This season celebrated the label having shown their collections at London Fashion Week for 10 years. Such a milestone can only be celebrated with excessive amounts of glitter and jewels. However, this was surprisingly not the direction the brand went. Instead, the collection was fun and bright. Some models walked the runway, others glided on skateboards. This youthful approach had girls and boys in loose fitting shorts, shirts and shift dresses – some of which were sheer, but all were adorned it a brilliant rainbow of sequins, Ashish style.
In a youthful celebration, where girls were boys and boys were girls, the brand instilled the idea that whilst 10 years have come and gone, this label has still so much to give and so many more fashion weeks to make their own.

Emma Ellen