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Dioralop SS15 

Final day of LFW and luckily me and my girl companions have landed ourselves front row seats at the Dioralop SS15 catwalk show.  

Adopting inspirations from underground cults, tattoo symbolisms, and silhouettes from the West Indians and subcultural skinheads, the collection exclaims its unconstraint with relaxed military looks in stern monochrome. Prints were cultivated with intended spills, and processed at different temperatures, creating the intricately hypnotic pattern that is now indisputable to the collection. 

As stated by the designer, "a woman who wears Dioralop is uncompromising, aware and individual." From concept to execution, the woman behind the label itself is also daring yet sensitively innovative. 

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Le Photographe SS15

Unlike the runway shows, Le Photographe's SS15 presentation was much more calmer (perhaps no seatings really did make a difference? ) Inspired by the "garden of temptation", the designers showcased a ready to wear collection that is sophisticated, feminine and undeniably wearable.

As stated by Christopher Dadev the photographer, "The aim of our collection this season was to twist and extend the boundaries of wearable silhouettes, incorporating embroidery and fabric manipulation to bring a playful elegance  to a new vision of the post modern wardrobe."  '

We were joined with a swift catwalk after the visitors have settled in, where we witnesses more extravagant versions of the collection in movement. Just like a spring garden in full bloom, flashes of violet, lilac, ivory accompanied with heaps of black and white, the spring summer essence was at its epitome. 

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SORAPOL SS15 

Shifting from Great Queen Street, we relocated to 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, The Royal College of Surgeons for the Sorapol SS15 Presentation. 

Promptly after nine, the rest of the visitors were finally seated inside the main hall. We were half an hour behind, but all our well-dressed visitors did not protest. WIth the French decadence and African identities in mind, the duo, designer Sorapol and fellow Creative Director Daniel Lismore brought together an extravagant collection with a glimpse of Marie Antoinette's opulent life style. 

The collection envisions a fictitious "French-Masaai Queen." -- whose style marries tribal prints, pearlescent bralettes, with luscious ruffled blouses, gold embroidery and delicate feather-works. Split into two parts, apparent day and night wear tailored to their fictional aristocrat, the backdrop changes from hues of vermillion to starry blue.  Closing the show, the "queen"  enthralls  the whole room with her waist cinching, protruding crinoline and her lavish ship hat (inspired by Marie Anoinette's "Coiffure à la Belle-Poule." Due to the hat's wavering nature, it had unfortunately fell off when the model reached the photographers' end of the catwalk, do not fret, as a professional and persona in mind, she gracefully place the hat back on --  We all applauded as she sashayed her way out. The quality and concept for this collection was as compelling as the couture shows, and Sorapol have presented us all, a magical and breathtaking trip to his very own Versailles. 

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Dora Abodi SS15

For Dora Abodi, I might have ended up in one of those awkward seats where it is fair for viewing , yet awful for photographing. (Rants over)

As soon as the music kickoff, we were all immediately lured into an ambience of dark romantics and mythology. Intricate and opulent prints are mixed and matched over the models' bodies, as the glossy feather clutters over their skirts and ankles. The show gradually deviates from the metallic blues and red, reaching the epitome with chimeric, yet intimidating attire on towering high models (not to mention the Maleficent-esque horns.) Dora Abodi's vision is enigmatic and  alluringly complex, which defines her design approaches.

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Bernard Chandran SS15

Day 2's hors d'oeuvre is served at approximately just past two in the afternoon, and it is Bernard Chandran that is delivered on the plate.  From Chandran's invite designs, a poster with a textural flat print, consisted of recurring diamond silhouettes, have implied that this print may be a central to the collection.

I was half right. Laser cut-outs only took up a fraction of the collection, yet mildly deformed painted portraits incorporated as prints  silk, chiffon and satin profusely takes over. Models' hair were tied back and all wore lipsticks in a paler pink; Chandran's SS15 comprised of palette that will remind you of classical ruins, where bronze orange and turquoise resembles oxidised metal-wear, and the blazing yellow and monochrome represents day and night.  There is only one word that rose to mind whilst spectating,  "classical. " Interestingly on some shirts, bustier-like breast cups are externally crinkled and gathered onto the garment, emphasising slightly Grecian, corset-like contours.  Precisely, from colour palette to garment silhouettes, the collection possesses timeless shapes, which are neither too fitted nor too loose-fitting. 

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Ones to Watch:  Keiko Nishiyama SS15

Now, apart from CVG, Keiko Nishiyama was another familiar name that rings many bells. A year ago, super blogger Susie Bubble featured a blog post wearing a floral print and sequins embroidered coat from Keiko's MA collection. 

The full bloom english garden aside, this season Keiko takes a liking in heaps of seashells. As the last of the Ones to watch on the runway show, Keiko's collection was focused on prints and extravagant head pieces.  Every garment were like walking canvases, collages even, compiled of all sorts of paraphernalia your child may dig up at a beach. The quality and the ingredients of the prints are rather nostalgic too , yet Keiko preserves poeticism and scrapbook elements within, enhancing the romantic femininity of her style. 

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Ones to Watch: Youjia Jin SS15 The embodiment of masculine femininity is an ideal of the modern working women today; tenacious, cool but still undeniably womanly. In Youjia Jin's SS15 the idea is clearly demonstrated with her strong tailoring, minimal colour  schemes and fitted drapery. 

The collection comprised of mainly white, black and grey, with a few dipped dye effect on the shirts. There is definitely an essence of spring within the collection, as of the materials itself are on a lighter side. 

The show finale arises with the last model dressed in all black, raised her fist as a sign of dominance for a good few seconds, then made her exit. It was intriguing because the end was so solemn yet captivating, maybe it would remind you of your boss at the office? Haha.  

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Jamie Wei Huang SS15 

Commencing my journey of London  Fashion Week, is Jamie Wei Huang's SS15 "Metaphysics" collection. As stated by the designer herself "The Metaphysics collection was created to be worn by everyone and anyone." --and as how I would interpret it, there are definitely aspects on every garment that could be deemed wearable. 

 Comprised of silk jacquard, faux fur, leather buckles, slitted skirts, and flashes of bralettes,  Jamie Wei Huang's collection deemed her favouring wintry elements and implemented on her Spring Summer's, in which is an aspect I favour too, especially when living unsteadily chilly weather in London. 

With strokes of white paint dabbed on the sides of the models' hair, make up was kept to the minimal, whilst apart from the garments, the personal adornments of the models spoke for themselves.  As it further enhances Jamie Wei Huang's notion of translating the garments via the inner personas of an individual, i.e. models,  which may explain some some of their slightly unconventional model preferences, such as tattoo-ed models. All of which are ways to express that "anyone" could wear this collection. .