One of the busiest shows of Vauxhall Fashion Scout so far, the Bernard Chandran catwalk was bustling with excited guests waiting to see Bernard's sleek, feminine creations. Known for interesting fabric combinations, innovative silhouettes and sophisticated colour palettes, he is a master of design and cutting and always creates cohesive, chic collections that never fail to impress.
The music begins with the first line of the song “You are the only one I ever loved”, as the first model appears mysteriously behind the iron gates in the atmospheric catwalk space and makes her way down the runway. The collection is inspired by 'the rough edges of a close friend's love tale' but instead of focusing on the heartbreak and the angst, the Bernard Chandran collection depicts the confident woman who is not fazed by the dramas of love. The first look oozes confidence, a perfectly cut white dress, accessorised with sunglasses that bring summer into the room and create connotations of an elegant, authoritative modern woman. Famed for attention to unique and interesting details, the dresses turned this seasons dropped back hem on it's head and gave us dresses short on the back, and floor skimming on the front. In some of the outfits, this gave the impression of almost two designs merged together. The look is designed to show 'simplicity on one side and curvier, more detailed lines on the other'.
One of the most impressive concepts was patent leather-fronted jackets that had impeccable details and were then backed with silks and triangular prints that provided a perfect harmony. Beautiful panelled dresses continued this harmonic feel with sections of lace, leather and satin all in similar tones that worked together perfectly. The collection seemed to have so many influences; elements of art deco, retro and most interestingly elements of functionality, a popular trend this season. Jackets featured large pockets across the crest of the back which were made of leather or PVC which made a bold statement about fashion being functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. Despite these unusual features, the collection was extremely commercial with linear patterns, intricate sequin work and a dip into flowing nudes and pastels which anyone would be happy to wear. The collection was strangely 'Girl next door' meets the modern, confidant woman which surprisingly worked really well. As always, the collection was feminine but forward thinking and proves that Bernard thinks carefully about the shape and personality of the modern woman he is designing for.
Text by Katie Agar (@katie_agar)
Images by Kevin Chesnais