Spirit of Picasso and vivid hues to ruffle party scene
DESIGNER Emilio de la Morena is a go-to name for those who like party dresses to stand out from the crowd. Today, he opened proceedings on the final day of London Fashion Week with a collection which disregarded the capital’s usual low-key approach to after-dark dressing in favour of statement options.
A Central Saint Martins alumnus, the Spaniard referenced the flamboyance of Valencia and Picasso’s vivid colour combinations. Lace LBDs were punctuated with shots of fuchsia, mint and emerald and, in the show’s highlight, bright marabou feathers were layered underneath sheer tulle skirts in a series of fulllength gowns.
Exaggerated ruffles, a calling card stemming from de la Morena’s Spanish roots, also played a starring role on flounce-sleeve cocktail dresses. The designer’s show followed Burberry’s yesterday. Chief creative officer Christopher Bailey, who had carried out an in-depth study of Henry Moore’s most definitive works, laid on a show which served as a wearable retrospective of the sculptor and artist’s oeuvre.
Referencing Moore’s preoccupation with body shape and challenging myths of conventional beauty, Bailey unveiled a looser, softer take on the classic trench coat and a spectacle which juxtaposed cotton choir-boy ruffles with delicate lace embroidery and classic tailoring.
The show closed with a finale of capes with 78 unique styles designed to evoke Moore’s elemental sculptures.
Backstage, Bailey said: “I enjoyed taking clothes and new silhouettes and using them to try and change the shape of the body. The idea of proportion was very much at the heart of the show.” @Miss_McCarthy @karendacre