This season Lotti Asbury of Masquerade Magazine was so impressed with our exhibition she kindly offered to write a guest post covering a few of the emerging designers exhibiting here at Fashion Scout. Read on to find out what she thought of the talented bunch...
London Fashion week just wouldn’t be the same without Vauxhall Fashion Scout showcasing their latest talent, like a crown with no jewels. You’ll find VFS bursting through the Freemason’s Hall this season, a perfect location for revealing secrets and a beautiful building in which to frame collections.
Walking through the exhibition hall an emerald floor length gown snatched my attention, I headed straight over to Edward Finney to be greeted by such a beautifully crafted collection the only thing stopping me from swiping the lot was the thought of the stairs. Finney draws inspiration from history’s “tragic women”, those icons who harbor dark stories; for his autumn/winter 2011 collection Princess Diana became his muse. As the collection progresses you see the metamorphosis of Finney’s woman form as her innocence gives way to the tragedy that awaits. The classic ladylike country shapes evolve, getting darker as he turns to evening wear, culminating in an exquisite black strapless dress sprouting feathers – a reference to the tragedy of Black Swan. Finney uses traditional tweed sourced from Huddersfield throughout his collection, a fabric that perfectly showcases the designer’s craftsmanship. And what’s that I spot? Feathered court shoes, “I must confess I made them myself” Finney divulges, nevertheless, they are the icing on this very delicious cake.
Speaking of delicious looking collections, Nicole Murray’s offering this season is a beautifully crafted fusion of sweet and power. With this, her 3rd season, Murray sees her woman as one who does not need extravagance in order to make an impact, instead she quietly turns heads – isn’t this the way we all want to live? She uses silk, lace and chiffon with an expert hand, allowing drapes and folds to form naturally adding subtle leather straps and collars enforcing the discreet power her muse embodies. Murray’s standout pieces come in the form of an amethyst gown with leather collar and belt, and her grey plum lace blouse with tan leather collar. It’s the gentleness and subtlety of the clothes that hypnotise and leave you desperate to add them to your wardrobe.
Leaving the exhibition hall I headed to Jakob Kimmie’s show. As we took our seats a live statue sat glancing round on a white plinth, was this a clue of what to expect? Not really. Kimmie’s collection seemed to be split into three definite sections. The opening looks featured denim, with sheer panels and lashings of rope-like ribbon billowing behind the models; paired with the hair and make-up, the girls looked like fantastic zombie farm girls from the southern states of America. The denim grew darker, and so did the collection. With sheer bandages swathing the faces there was a definite eroticism in the second section of his collection. Tight satin trousers were beautifully tailored and with a full-length black dress with cage-like top were the real standout pieces of the whole collection. And now its white. The final section saw Kimmie use white fabrics throughout, teamed with red paint on various parts of the models. Given his surroundings, Kimmie could have simply allowed the room to present his collection for him, but he didn’t – the room seemed to adapt in order to participate with the show, Kimmie well and truly outshone the Freemason’s.
Words : Lotti Asbury
Panoramic Image: Lucas Seinfaden
Other Images : Ezzidin Alwan
Other Images : Ezzidin Alwan