Cyborgs and Chanel's New World Order in Paris

Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld with Lily-Rose Depp at his SS17 ready-to-wear show in Paris. Tap photographs for a slideshow of the collection.


Each season Karl Lagerfeld creates Chanel collections that seduce and polarise new generations of the jeunesse dorée. His latest work, shown in Paris earlier this month, for Spring/Summer 2017 was set in a digital world with two cyborgs opening the show, both a commentary on society's obsession with new technology, followed by a brilliant yet wearable collection that seemed both contemporary and retro with a dash of Eighties futurism, writes Jeanne-Marie Cilento

Cyborgs opened the show at the Chanel Data Center

KARL Lagerfeld, brings an acute mind and a fulsome creativity to his collections that make his shows sought after each season in Paris. Chanel’s creative director since 1983, Lagerfeld has always loved the latest technology, he looks to the future and doesn't like nostalgia yet has an expansive knowledge and passion for the history of design, architecture and fashion. As a designer, he likes to test the technical skills of the Chanel ateliers to their limits with new techniques and materials. Under the great, soaring glass roof of the Grand Palais with dappled sunlight filtering onto the catwalk, Karl Lagerfield created for his latest ready-to-wear show, what he called the Chanel Data Center: a white digital world with the flashing lights of computer servers alongside the runway and trolleys of red, yellow and blue cables.



The great, soaring roof of the Grand Palais  

A master of creating fashion spectacle, two be suited models in bouclé tweed wearing white robot helmets strode onto the runway to Patrick Cowley's electro remix of Donna Summer’s I Feel Love. Walking out to the disco beat, the models with rather charming robotic faces seemed inspired by the broad features of Coco Chanel. The two cyborgs introduced a surprisingly wearable show full of brilliant colour with classic tweed suits updated by vivid, neon hues and the romantic whimsy of lacy, pale pink wisps of lingerie.

"Even if you don't like the idea, technology rules the world because it changes the world and has made many things easier,'' said Lagerfeld before presenting his collection. "My idea is to show the most iconic jacket on a creature of an unknown future. It means that Chanel is timeless and as the French say immortel. The data centre is something of our time and suggests the idea of the modern woman whatever the time, the century or the circumstances are. It is something I felt, I like the idea and translated it. But it is not technology in a cold way, it is 'intimate technology' ~ armour for the outside world ~ and something much more refined for the private world." Lagerfeld's inspiration for the catwalk was a vision of a woman walking through kilometres of cables, metallic racks and computer cabinets, a mistress of the digital universe.

Chanel Home Girl: fluid and comfortable

The whole collection had a feeling of a free-wheeling, comfortable modernity that felt both contemporary, retro and futuristic at the same time. But Lagerfield's future aesthetic has a certain playful, Eighties whimsy (a thread that ran through other SS17 shows in Paris including Anthony Vaccarello's debut at YSL) than a hard-edged, nihilistic vision of tomorrow. "Without the human hand, without delicacy and savoir-faire, nothing would be possible,'' says Lagerfield. "After all, don’t two robots wearing Chanel suits prove, perhaps, that more than any technological breakthrough, it is femininity that truly transcends time?" The designer believes that in an ultra-technological world our daily life is increasingly 'dematerialised', he wants to put humans back at the centre of everything, making what he calls Intimate Technology the theme of his new collection.

One of Chanel's new bags with flashing LEDs 

The designer played with digital motifs creating a beaded top embroidered like a motherboard, graphic prints that looked like vivid screen savers and hand bags flashing inside with the interlocking CC logo created by LED lights. There was a jaunty 1980s home girl vibe with side ponytails and sideways baseball caps perched with the peak to the left: "Today, caps are what people wear the most and so I had to make a Chanel version of that and wear it in a different way on the side, in a way it looks really like a refined hat," Lagerfield explains. Monochrome tweeds were combined with neon hues and worn with large retro Eighties gold earrings and long pendant chains embellished with camellias and held on with a snap hook. The Chanel jackets were more fluid and less form-fitting and the checks a little bigger than usual. The collection's shoes were mostly flat or with a low heel with broad cross over straps.


Francis Bean Cobain at the Chanel show

Lagerfield not only enjoys the latest technology but loves featuring the jeunesse dorée in his campaigns for Chanel. This season, his front row included the Chanel's ambassadors, the beguiling Lily-Rose Depp, Anna Mouglalis, Gaspard Ulliel and Caroline de Maigret alongside American singers Usher and Young Thug. Plus French actress Alma Jodorowsky, Chinese actresses Bai Bai He and Sandra Ma and the young Japanese Nana Komatsu. Chanel's connection with the young and the future was put into material form with new details and new fabrics in the SS17 collection. For example, touch fasteners replace buttons, braiding becomes a thick jersey cable, woven multi-coloured tweeds include rubber strands and vinyl strips, cotton, denim and wool threads line up like electronic cables, collars and cuffs are swathed in embossed translucent gauze.



Brilliant colour as a counterpoint to pastels

There are bursts of colour with backgrounds of blue, red, yellow, pink, purple, black and navy and a mix of pastels and electric shades. The home-girl caps are in silk or tweed while the sleek clutch bags are made of perforated silver leather. The unlined jackets and big coats are made to be as light as knitwear and are worn over long skirts and pleated blouses. Thrown over the negligees are tweed jackets with rounded shoulders, long sleeves and wide lapels and even a pair of culottes zipped at the front and back. Blouses combine sequins that look like electronic components and evening gowns had voluminous sunray pleats, trimmed with marabout. Asymmetrical jackets are worn with zip-up skirts with flat pleats that reveal silk and lace shorts beneath. Like a long necklace, the new Gabrielle bag has double straps slipped on around the head like a sweater, and bordering the neck and shoulders. Cotton voile is used for coats and dresses, with ruffled edged camellias, a full skirt is embellished with an entirely pleated camellia.


Long silk dresses added a feminine touch

The technology and motifs inspired by the digital world in the show were made softer by blouses with ruffled cuffs and long silk dresses. Silk, lace and crepe georgette were in subtle hues of powder, pale pink, candy pink, blush and peach with a contrast of midnight blue. "The idea behind that is a fluid femininity. It is not sexy lingerie, it is not agressive, it is flesh coloured and there is something poetic about this colour," Lagerfeld says. Under slips and negligees were tailored with flat or accordion pleats and shell guipure lace petticoats and pyjama trousers in silk and lace were worn as daywear. For this collection, the couturier created the delicate lingerie ~ underwear as outerwear ~ as a counterpoint to the reality of a harsher, more automated, contemporary world.

See below video for more photographs of the Chanel collection and new accessories

Finale of the collection at the Grand Palais in Paris

Home girl in contemporary, fluid version of the traditional Chanel tweed suit, with cap and long pendant

Details of the robust knit jacket and new bracelet

 Bright pink fasteners added a dash of colour to a stylish tweed trouser suit

The Chanel camellia on a navy and dark red woven top 

The finale of the SS17 collection in Paris

Pale pink lace was a counterpoint to the harder edged digital motifs 

Pearl-encrusted pendant on an embossed, long silk dress

Lacy bomber jacket and pink skirt with low-heeled shoes

New Chanel hand bag in fuchsia with gold details

Strong contrasts of boxy, tweed jacket and delicate silk

Digital inspirations for the new accessories

Flowing lines, chunky jewellery and long pendants added to the sense of freewheeling comfort

 The Eighties had a comeback with big, decorative earrings

Strong colour and black contrasts made an interesting counterpoint to the pastel pink confections of silk and lace

Black and white elegance evokes Lagerfeld's masterful capacity as a designer

Christian Lacroix's New Furniture Collection by Sacha Walckhoff

Christian Lacroix creative director Sacha Walckhoff with one of the armchairs he designed for the collection with Roche Bobois 

A witty and graceful furniture collection with a surprising dash of robust vigour has been designed by Christian Lacroix's Creative Director Sacha Walckhoff and produced by Roche Bobois. Jeanne-Marie Cilento speaks to the effervescent designer about the inspirations and challenges that faced him creating a completely new oeuvre for the French fashion house

Hourglass chairs inspired by couture mannequins 

BRIMMING with creative energy and vision, Sacha Walckhoff still found it a great challenge to design an entire furniture collection of 20 different pieces, from curvaceous chairs to slim, elegant cabinets featuring architectural scenes, in two very short months. Although it is the first time Maison Christian Lacroix has created a furniture range, building on the house's lifestyle and homewares collection, Roche Bobois has already had collaborations with other high-end fashion labels, including Missoni, Sonia Rykiel and Jean Paul Gaultier.

"It could have been enjoyable but, in fact, it was quite frightening as I had to decide what kind of line to create, relevant for the global market for both brands."

Sacha Walckhoff says the pressure on him was enormous to create such a substantial new collection in a short time, representing two famous French brands. "I had total freedom, a 'carte blanche' given by Jean Dominique Lèze, the Nouveaux Classiques collection's director at Roche Bobois,'' says Walckhoff. "So it could have been enjoyable but, in fact, it was quite frightening as I had to decide what kind of line to create that would be relevant for Lacroix, for Roche Bobois and for the global market for both brands together. It was far too serious to enjoy anything, but I did at the end ...I must be a bit of a masochist!"

Gleaming brass, round side tables

The series of pieces, cleverly translates the exuberant Christian Lacroix aesthetic into a collection that ranges from accessories to upholstered and wooden furniture. Christian Lacroix as a fashion house was known for its extravagance, but today the brand focuses on more accessible luxury, producing a licensed menswear line and decorative upholstery fabrics, wallpaper, cushions, stationery and tableware. "This is not the first furniture line by a Couture house," Sacha Walckhoff says. "Ralph Lauren and Gianni Versace did it first, very wisely, more than 30 years ago and are still masters of the fashion becoming home décor nowadays,'' explains Walckhoff. "I had this in a corner of my mind as I wanted the home decor collections by Lacroix to be as relevant as the ones of those two masters of fashion and lifestyle.

"The Christian Lacroix House has a history of love for bold patterns and joyful colours. With the Lacroix CEO Nicolas Topiol, we were convinced that we should be able to create a home department at Lacroix based on this patrimony and when we did our first collection with Designers Guild in 2011, five years ago, it worked very well."



Lacquered, striped cubes for storage 

The new collection of furniture combines and remixes design eras to make something entirely new. Lacquered wood cubes are screen printed with striped patterns, their minimalism making them at home now or in the 1930s, shimmering brass details enliven wooden chairs and tables. Cabinets are embellished with artistic prints, including a landscape inspired by Arles in southern France (the birthplace of couturier Christian Lacroix) while a large screen is decorated with a variety of colourful plants and flowers but with modern skyscrapers.

"The most challenging part of designing this first furniture collection was finding the right balance between shapes, material and colours."

"The most challenging part of designing this first furniture collection, after those first five years only designing fabrics, rugs and wallpaper, was to find the right balance between shapes, material and colours," Walckhoff says."I went from designing two to three dimensional ideas and this is a huge and tremendous change! Beside this, you do not change your furniture as much as your wallpaper so I also had to have this in mind when designing the new furniture collection."

Following the couturier Christian Lacroix's exit from the company in 2009, Sacha Walckhoff took over the house designing the menswear and lifestyle collections which were introduced in 2011. Maison Christian Lacroix was originally founded as an haute couture house in 1987 by Christian Lacroix and Jean-Jacques Picart. After Lacroix left the fashion house, the women’s wear and couture collections were put on hold, but the maison was revived under the creative direction of Walckhoff who has lead the design and rebuilding of the brand. Today, the creative director says it seemed like the natural next step to create a furniture collection with Roche Bobois.

 Sacha Walckhoff's new designs

"We knew each other quite well as they have used our Lacroix fabrics on their own creations since the launch of our Lacroix Fabric collection with Designers Guild," Sacha Walckhoff says. "So to design furniture for them was the next step and it is an amazing company with almost 300 boutiques all around the world. The quality is exceptional, they are great, recognised professionals and we are both famous French brands, it is a perfect fit for all of us." Christian Lacroix's collection of fabrics, wallpapers and cushions are now all designed by Walckhoff. The current 2016 lifestyle collection, known as the Art de Vivre Collection, drew inspiration from the Incroyables et Merveilleuses of the French Revolution. Boldly coloured fabrics and wallpapers combine floral and modern digital prints for Lacroix's signature eclectic design.

"I was ready to go into furniture as I have designed pieces for the Gallery Gosserez in Paris and the brands Pouenat and Verreum. I was prepared, mentally and also technically."

Sacha Walckhoff says the collaboration with Roche Bobois also happened at the right time as Lacroix has become established as a homewares brand in the last five years and he has also personally developed his own design work. "It was the right timing for Lacroix, as now the brand is part of the world of decoration end design. I was also ready to go into furniture as I have designed, in the past two years, different pieces under my own name for the gallery Gosserez in Paris and the brands Pouenat and Verreum. So I was prepared, mentally and also technically."

The furniture collection  features lacquered wood cubes, a double-sided standing screen with brass details featuring a 19th century scene on one side and a garden setting on the other; and dining room chairs with shapely backs. Other home accessories in the range include lighting, mirrors, consoles and rugs, plus a long dining room table.



Sacha Walckhoff inspired by travel & exhibitions 

Today, Walckhoff says he does not look back to the Lacroix archives as he did in the beginning when creating the homewares and says fashion does not inspire his creative work directly. "In reality, it is much more about words, travels, exhibitions, ideas, style and a lovely personal life than fashion in reality," he says. "Fashion does not mean much anymore. There are still interesting collections of course but the fashion world has become too greedy, too much money is now involved in those big commercial houses and it does kill what fashion should be really about: vision, dream and fantasy.

"Fashion is not influential anymore for creative people like me. People on Reality TV are fashion gods now ~ that says everything about what fashion has become."

"So many collections are asked of the designers each year that it has no meaning anymore, everybody is copying everybody in a neurotic rhythm .Who needs 15 collections by the same brand in the same year?! Fashion is not influential anymore for creative people like me. Reality TV people are fashion gods now ~ that says everything about what fashion has become! But as I said already, designers like Simon Jacquemus, Raf Simons or Demna Gvasalia are trying to save what fashion really is about and I send them my love!"

Walckhoff worked with the couturier Christian Lacroix for 17 years before taking over as Creative Director, responsible for taking the brand in a new direction. Now more than six years later, he has successfully expanded Lacroix beyond a fashion house into interior design. He has also formed Christian Lacroix licensed collaborations with international brands such as the brilliant fabric and wallpaper collection with Designers Guild, carpets with Dutch brand Moooi and now the range of furniture with Roche Bobois.

 Rosewood tables and chairs are finished with brass details

Part of the new furniture collection's vivacity and liveliness is created by Walckhoff's romantic vision. "The 'love stories' between fashion and decor in the 20th Century inspired the collection: the couturier Jacques Doucet and Eileen Grey, Jeanne Lanvin and Armand Albert Rateau, the Groult couple (she was a fashion Couturier, he was a furniture designer ), Yves Saint Laurent and François Xavier Lalanne and ,of course, Christian Lacroix himself and Garouste et Bonetti,'' he says. "Between those two different worlds there always have been admiration and beauty exchanged. This is very inspirational to me. I needed also to add a little bit of humor on top of all this love! So I decided to select specific details of each decade of the 20th Century French Art Decoratif style and mix them together in the same furniture collection.

"Individual pieces look like you know them but you don't because the shape is from the Sixties but the materials are from the Thirties...It is a huge collage of a over a century of creations!"

"The result is exactly what I wanted, individual pieces that look like you know them but you don't because the shape is from the Sixties but the materials (rosewood and gold-plated brass) are from the Thirties. Then you have stripes from the Seventies or an organic shape that could be from the Fifties or even the Eighties...I had a lot of fun doing this, it is a huge collage over a century of creations!"

In the collection, dining room chairs feature backs shaped like hourglasses, an homage to the mannequins in the original Lacroix haute couture atelier in Paris: "A little bit of glamour to sit on!" Walckhoff says. Whereas these chairs are slim, the new armchairs and footstools are more free-form, robust and rotund. The designer says the idea was to mix the styles of Jean Royère, Vladimir Kagan and Garouste and Bonetti together. "I wanted an organic, assymetrical shape with a great comfort and those armchairs are now a best seller at Roche Bobois!"



Screen with flowers, palm tress, follies and skyscrapers 

A double-sided standing screen features a nineteenth century scene from Christian Lacroix’s hometown of Arles, France on one side and a garden print on the other. Amid the foliage are images of palm trees taken from throughout time, ranging from illustrations to a modern photograph. Within the collection, there are also lamps, tables, mirrors, consoles and rugs. Designed for Roche Bobois’ Nouveaux Classiques collection, the pieces are designed to integrate with existing furniture, allowing for mixing and matching.

The signature exuberance and eclecticism and sheer joie de vivre of Christian Lacroix did influence the design of the collection, says Walckhoff: "Yes, of course, it was the final touch! For example, the screen is double faced because sometimes you see life in colours and sometimes in black and white! So the enchanted garden design Bagatelle is on one side, a collage of plants from different styles mixing 19th Century engravings with contemporary photography of palm trees.

"We did it in the studio and it is an image that makes you happy. On the other side of the screen, we printed this 19th Century black and white engraving representing the monuments in Arles (not only the home town of Monsieur Lacroix but where Vincent Van Gogh became famous). It is elegant, historical, a bit more serious.Two moods for the price of one!"

New Directions in Fashion: From Instant Shopping to Pastel Punk

Diaphanous blue and white flowers at Jasper Conran's summery show in London. Cover picture of the Teatum Jones collection for Spring/Summer 2017. 

This season, London Fashion Week began with a large question mark: would the 'see now, buy now' initiative be a success? From Top Shop to Burberry, brands are bringing tech to the catwalks and instant shopping was the biggest trend along with strong new design directions, our fashion editor Limor Helfgott reports from the British capital

Gothic dreaminess at Vin + Omi SS17. Photo: Liron Weissman 

THE ground-breaking change in buying fashion from the runway started with Burberry and has been followed by more brands by bringing their new collection to our wardrobes instantly. Instead of showing six months ahead, fashion houses are presenting what is in stores now and available to buy immediately. Burberry’s Christopher Bailey described the show as season less, with clothes designed to wear throughout the year. Menswear designer Oliver Spencer, the closing show for this season, presented the next step in shopping technology with a new interactive option that allowed ticket holders to buy items from the collection straight from the runway using the Vero app. Topshop Unique was another label that joined this trend, and the unveiling of the collection generated a lot of buzz in London. The show was streamed live on Topshop’s website and enthusiastic shoppers were able to buy pieces from the website straight away.

Embellished denim at Fyodor Golan. Photo: Limor Helfgott

Other designers like Fyodor Golan blurred the lines between technology and reality, with a digital Spring/Summer 2017 presentation. The collection had dramatic reflective, holographic silver pieces of popping luminous tones against metallic and embellished denim and a sci-fi and futuristic theme with a wink to punk. As guests were guided into the presentation space, they were handed a pair of headphones playing Rihanna-mixed beats, meanwhile multiple screens revealed a digital remake of the SS17 Fyodor Golan collection. This is another label looking to the future of fashion, showing us what is possible to do with the design process. Could this be how ready to wear fashion will be presented?

Apart from these revolutionary changes of how and when we buy clothes from new collections, London's Fashion Week was, as always, a melting pot of ideas, colours and game-changing looks. From romantic ruffles to punk pastels, here are the top directions from the SS17 catwalks for next season:

Pretty in Punk Pink

Punk pink at Fyodor Golan. Photo: Limor Helfgott

Pastels are back after we first saw them dominating the catwalks in Autumn/Winter 2016. This season's Spring/Summer 2017 looks proved that pink is stronger than ever with Topshop, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi and Teatum Jones all using every shade. At Teatum Jones we saw a romantic flamingo pink clashing with fleshy nudes, framed by snooker-table green and emerald. Pink also surprised in a Goth form. Once being a Goth meant wearing black and looking depressed, these days you can be a Pastel Goth and be inspired by ice cream colours!

Preen by Thornton Bregazzi’s collection was a combination of Eighties Goth and summer meadows and sequins which rocked the pastel goth look. “Everything is delicate-looking, but with a sharp, dangerous edge," said Justin Thornton, one half of the Preen creative partnership. "Light on the outside, dark on the inside." Sid Neigum added only a few splashes of bright crimson to his otherwise monochrome palette, including a buttonless silk pyjama-style set, the front of which tied in an ascot knot, and a long tunic and trouser with exaggerated sleeves.

 Eighties vibes at Top Shop Unique. Photo: Limor Helfgott

The Eighties Are Here
This season the 1980s continues to remain at the forefront, as shown at Mother of Pearl, Topshop Unique and Preen. At Topshop we found classic nods to the decade in the form of PVC high-waisted trousers, giant earrings, frizzy hair, fuchsia pointed stiletto boots and zebra print (which seems to be replacing leopard as the animal print of choice this season) all accompanied by an electro soundtrack ~ taking inspiration from provocative artist Linder Sterling and the city’s eclectic fashion markets. “We were thinking about all those amazing markets like Hyper, the Great Gear market, Kensington and Camden, where you bought everything from army surplus to Swanky Modes party dresses,” explains creative director Kate Phelan. Edgy lingerie references dance between ladylike underpinnings and Camden Ballroom anarchy in the Eighties. To break up the black and the strong 1980s statements there were some softer colour options such as pale grey, blush and denim. NewGen designer Marta Jakubowski’s collection included the pink trend with raspberry-hued suiting and deconstructed velvet dresses on models who rotated around the presentation on a bright red carousel.

Love and Ruffles

Voluminous ruffles at Vin + Omi. Photo: Liron Weissman

Whether you’re going for a timeless classic look or fiercely modern, it could all be seen at London Fashion Week. Ruffles dominated a host of collections from Erdem to Teatum Jones and in-your-face sleeves, frills and pleats are having a major moment. At Teatum Jones, innovative and bold fabrics were teamed with modern, relevant shapes, tailored silhouettes presented soft and voluminous looks and ruffles were layered over sheer, pleated netting. Separates ruled the runway, with skirts and lingerie inspired silk satins printed with romantic florals paneled with delicate French lace. At Shrimps we saw textured high-top sneakers paired with floaty dresses that were heavy on ruffles, sea-shell prints and gingham. Burberry's ruffled and frilled shirts were coupled with cute printed shorts, and high-collared shirts were worn underneath trench coats.

High octane glamour Julien Macdonald SS17

Love is definitely in the air, with a number of designers showing decidedly floaty, flirty and feminine pieces. Frills and froths of lace, as well as delicate embroidery were present at Jasper Conran, and on many other catwalks, proving that it pays to be pretty. Glam it up A-list favourite Julien Macdonald made an extravagant return to London Fashion Week with a high octane glamourous collection drawing inspiration from the Masai tribes and solitary landscapes of the African plains. The colour palette is soft and feminine, inspired by albino animals discovered on faraway travels. Snakeskin is re imagined on dusty pinks through the use of three dimensional Swarovski embroidery to create an Afro-Chic aesthetic, with daring cut-outs, intricate lace and plenty of sparkle.

Checks and Stripes are Never Out

Checks & stripes at Belstaff. Photo: Limor Helfgott

While Geometric patterns can overpower and flowers have been known to pall, checks and stripes never go out of style. Stripey cotton shirts, particularly in blue and white, and pinstripes are the favourite choice for low-key chic. Bold stripes were seen at Gareth Pugh and Marques’Almeida while more traditional brands such as Mulberry went down a more collegiate route. At Belstaff, we saw Buffalo check appearing on jackets, giving a feeling of American heritage. There were a few softer pieces too, including summer dresses and a cream blouse with frills which balanced out the overall tough leather and military direction. The collection was inspired by women such as Augusta and Adeline Van Buren, their motorcycle journey across America, and their campaigning for women’s right to enter the US army as messengers and dispatch riders (this year celebrating a centenary anniversary).

Filmy dresses at Jasper Conran SS17

Maxi Dresses, Slits and Slashes
Long dresses are still in ~ at Daks and Jasper Conran at least ~ both of which opened and closed their SS17 show with filmy maxis. Jasper Conran’s dresses were full of elegance and the suggestion of summer holidays. There were delicate floaty dresses decorated with flowers, leaves, birds and bees, painted and stitched on cotton organdy, silk and organza. These alternated with dresses with floral embroidery and applique in summery, sorbet hues. The beach ready dresses came in bold stripes in yellow and green, and full skirts were layered beneath cropped shirts In dusty shades of pink, peach and pale blue. Super high slits were seen at Mulberry and Topshop Unique. At Christopher Kane’s collection, religious images appeared on tops held together by metal rings and punched through with giant grommets. Paired with a super high slit skirt, it wasn’t a very Sunday school look.


Slashed skirts at Eudon Choi SS17

For his SS17 collection, Eudon Choi continues his recent exploration of the feminine aesthetic through the work of female artists. Inspired by the life and work of the American photographer Francesca Woodman. Her fascination with destruction can also be seen in the way Eudon Choi’s garments had slashes, cuts, openings and undone buttons. Voluminous skirts came slashed and sneak peeks of leather suspenders could be seen holding up mid-calf socks.

The Last Word in Make-Up
Dust down your hot brushes, this season's make-up looks are way more down to earth than you might think. Models were sent down the runway with every eye shadow you could think of with fresh skin and rich looking bronze tones. The key direction this season is healthy, flawless skin as seen at Teatum Jones and the Julien Macdonald show featuring dewy complexions. At Eudon Choi, a transparent glaze was swept across the cheekbones and at Topshop the glossy eyed look was worn by girl of the moment, Taylor Hill, with dusty burgundy eyeshadow with a shiny top coat. And finally, smudged lipstick is now having a moment: as seen at Gareth Pugh and Vin & Omi while Fyodor Golan brought back a Nineties vibe with blue lipstick.

Tap photographs for full screen slideshow

Bold summer stripes at Jasper Conran  

 Strong geometric shapes on a fluid dress at Jasper Conran

Filmy stripes on a long, summer gown at Jasper Conran

Fine stripes and painterly spots at Eudon Choi

Flowing and loose separates with white and stripes at Eudon Choi

Form-fitting glamour at Julien Macdonald  

Tight, black and shiny at Julien Macdonald 

Romantic sleeves at David Koma. Photo by Limor Helfgott 

 Ruffled black at David Koma . Photo by Limor Helfgott

Fuchsia all over at Top Shop Unique. Photo by Limor Helfgott

Diaphanous red and black at Sid Neigum. Photo by Limor Helfgott 

Strong reds and graphic shapes at Sid Neigum. Photo by Limor Helfgott

 Gothic drama at Vin + Omi. Photo by Liron Weissman

Big hair and lots of black at Vin + Omi. Photo by Liron Weissman

Leather and flowing florals at Teatum Jones



Contrasting patterns and bright colour at Teatum Jones