"It's by the Pret!"

Natasha Zinko X Duo LFW SS20

“There’s always a Pret!” is the running joke between my sister and I. It originated from LFW SS19 when she accompanied me on a whirlwind season and often times we would be so hungry but too busy to look up where to go eat. And in the great city of London, there’s always a Pret a Manger somewhere. So it was like a fond inside joke when I arrived at the al fresco Natasha Zinko X Duo show and found myself staring directly at a Pret and knowing all of my show photos will have it as a background.

As all of the city’s fashion forward begin to filter in one by one I noticed a father and son eating their breakfast at the window seats inside Pret. They watched with amusement and ate slowly, eager to see what is to transpire. Just their luck to have stumbled right into a fashion show and seated just next to the photo pit. This was definitely a scene. Chairs and benches padded and covered in colorful fabrics, lined up along the sidewalk. Attendees dressed in vibrant ensembles with hair to match.

The theme behind this collection is one of sustainability. “Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Repurpose. Repower.” As a child, Zinko didn’t see repurposing as a choice. Her grandmother was always fixing old things to make them new again. This process always amazed her and with this collection it comes full circle. Where others see waste, Natasha and Ivan saw opportunity. From heaps of discarded clothing they created the SS20 collection that is still very true to their design aesthetic, “Comfort is a non-negotiable”.

Utilitarian looking pieces make their way down the path. Large pockets on jumpsuits and front zipper dresses feel like a throwback to the mid 90s. The happy, poppy colors of teal, violet, pink was speckled with black. Relaxed looking ensembles draped over neon lingerie. Front pocket wind breakers and bright bandana shirts layered under a jacket were giving me life! This collection felt like not only the re-purposing of materials but of my memories. It was a 90s remix and I was loving every single bit of it. By now the father and son duo has moved to another part of Pret, with the boy standing on a chair so he can see the spectacle. This kid watched every piece down the runway excitedly. The show concluded with all of the looks converged at the end of the runway. And with great applause from inside and outside of Pret, well done Natasha Zinko X Duo.