Always a Highlight
On Off Presents AW19
The designers at the On/Off closing show at London Fashion week AW19 were well worth the wait. Reshake, IA London, Longshaw Ward, Jimmy Paul, Daniel Pascal Tanner and Colin Horgan all took the runway by storm. The last day of LFW is always bittersweet as we are exhausted but feeling a little sad that it was all to be over soon. Many have already moved onto Milan Fashion Week and some booth spaces were left empty and the lounge space that was always full to the max had plenty of seats available. We showed up to the que half an hour before the show started thinking we had plenty of time but when we saw how long it had gotten the reality was we should have been there at least an hour ahead. The que was in itself a fashion fantasy. The attendees were a sight to behold themselves. It was like a conclave of the fashion elite; beautiful people, fashion journalists, photographers, bloggers, and even friends and family of the designers with bouquets of flowers to bestow upon them after the show.
The first group to be ushered in were the VIPs with red invitations. The que did not grow any smaller, it was actually getting longer as more and more show up for the last hurrah of LFW. I was getting a little nervous that we may not be able to get in. Then whilst in the middle of this pushy chaos an absolutely charming fashion blogger with a crown of flowers saved the day when she quickly sent us her invite as my screenshot of our invite did not display our color correctly. Anna made sure that we got in to that show with her and we made sure she sat in Block A where we were assigned to be seated.
The show began with the ultra cool street style of Reshake. Long exaggerated puffers whizzed down the runway followed by a black urban punk hybrid. Each model had a look of tough determination and the collection showed a sense of fortitude through the use of oversized denim jackets, hoodies and quilted coats. Next was Jimmy Paul. As soon as the first look emerged I am sure two thirds of the audience were thinking “Big Bird” and finally placed it as such with certainty when the next look emerged…Elmo. With delight, each Sesame Street character came down the runway one by one, transformed into the fantastical fashion version of themselves. Bright colors kept flying by, red, yellow, pink, purple, green, blue…faux fur, curled ribbons and the iconic images of Sesame Street characters themselves. The pure joy this collection brought was infectious.
The show changed pace with Longshaw Ward. Having recently been named the Gold winner of the IDA Design Awards this collection continues to do what it does best, concentrate on beautiful detailed craftsmanship for the modern intelligent woman. The pieces floated down the runway with grace fit for royalty. Embroidered organza, layered organza upon heavier knit materials and ruffled pom pommed organza came together to depict the diverse applications of this material giving it new depth. The collection truly was beautiful and remarkably versatile.
IA London came out strong. The audience was almost in a stunned silence when these “loud lips” shocked the catwalk. A stunning depiction of femininity is what I felt when I saw this line emerge. Women of all ages and ethnicities wore their lips proudly. Images of red lips and flowers in various Baroque tones were dramatically placed upon a black background. Silhouettes were reminiscent of the medieval and renaissance times and the tone was a strong, quiet beauty.
The waifs and orphans of Daniel P. Tanner’s collection was a magnificent hybrid of classical and Harajuku. The unrelenting patterns and prints of the collection were accompanied by bold, rich colors. One may think that it sounds like it’s a bit “much” but trust me, I wanted to see more. The layers and layers of pieces adorned with ruffles, lace and velvet tape completely captivated my attention.
Colin Horgan made his debut with a stunning black patent leather look in thigh high boots. This collection with topstitched pieces ribboning throughout. This collection, In Motion, shows the woman thorough constant motion. You really get a sense of that by the way he uses the sash like pieces to direct fluidity throughout. The use of red and black reminded me of racing cars and there is a sexiness to speed that is hard to deny.
As LFW closes its AW19 season, the ON/OFF show was the perfect way to go out with a bang. Until next season!
