There were radical shapes, three dimensional dresses with protruding blocks, hats that obscured the face, fluffy outfits for men that made them look like cuddly teddy bears, and sexy dresses with cutouts and cellophane skirts. There were yellow space age outfits with oversize cutouts that looked straight out of Star Trek, or Woody Allen’s “Sleeper,” and some dresses that resembled elaborate lamp shades.
A few models wore black, kimono style dresses with wooden neck braces that made them look a bit like whiplash victims, others wore shimmering metallic evening dresses layered with odd, sculptural shapes.
Overall, it was a cacophony of styles presented by a variety of designers, most of them about to graduate and descend on the hotly competitive fashion field. Some seem destined for greatness; others are likely to be forgotten before next season.
The Central Saint Martins show capped a festive opening day that included shows by Bora Aksu, Felder Felder, PPQ and others, with Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Burberry and others to follow in the coming days.
At his standing-room-only show, Bora Aksu used waistcoats, jackets and capes to spice up his fall and winter collection.
The models wore leaf-inspired headpieces to keep their hair in place, with many dresses featuring a white, gray and pink motif.
There were a few forays into sherbety orange and fuchsia, but most of the collection had a sober, wintry feel set off by fanciful patterned tights and lace-up, high-heeled boots. The dresses featured beautiful, ornate detailing.
The Turkish-born Aksu, a London favorite for 15 years and also a graduate of Central Saint Martins, drew a standing room-only crowd.
His show started a few hours after fashion week opened with a promise from Topshop boss Philip Green to do more to help young Britons develop their clothes design and manufacturing skills, with an emphasis on actually producing more goods in Britain rather than overseas.
“We are ourselves manufacturing more goods in the U.K. these days, and if we can help get more capacity here, I believe those retailers will tell you there is now the opportunity to be competitive and produce in the United Kingdom,” he said.
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