London Fashion Week: PVC, Paranoia and The Powerpuff Girls

All you need to know from the first day of the AW17 shows

Model Jack Ayers, who uses a prosthetic limb, on the catwalk for Teatum Jones in London (Getty)

London Fashion Week has officially declared its doors open with a storm of catwalk shows from young talent that promises to change the course of the fashion world. A raucous day powered by diversity and feminism, day one served up a commanding set of shows that left us wanting more. Roll out the welcome mat because this five-day fashion race is just getting started.

Teatum Jones

Design duo Catherine Teatum and Rob Jones kicked off proceedings with a show charged by diversity this morning. Inspired by the work of thirties artist Hans Bellmer, who set out to reject the cult of the perfect body led by the Nazi Party, the collection combined exaggerated shapes and awkward, imperfect patterns.

Walking to an empowering soundtrack, a cast of models strutted down the runway in cable knit two-tone sweaters, column dresses and PVC coated outerwear.

Credit where its due, the inclusion of two disabled models in the line-up served to redefine beauty standards but was it enough?

Body positivity was the objective here with a backing track that included quotes like, “Your body is not an apology”, “this body wasn’t made to meet your definition of desirable”, and snippets of Meryl Streep’s critique of Donald Trump.

But, unfortunately, the message seemed to get lost in a sea of seemingly flawless, svelte and picturesque models.

Fyodor Golan

We’ve come to expect a sense of playfulness from Fyodor Golan but with Post-it notes and The Powerpuff Girls at the top of their agenda, this season was unlike any other.

A merciless exploration of empowering feminism and vibrant colour, superpowered sisters Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup saved the day with a message to all women to encompass strength but, under any circumstances, to always stay cute.

Vibrant, luminescent shades were part of Fyodor Golan’s creations (AFP)

The everyday art of Post-it notes consumed the colouring which saw vibrant, luminescent shades of orange, green, pink and yellow adorn puffer jackets, and asymmetric knits but they were there in literal form too fixed to clear PVC skirts and shirts.

Eudon Choi

Having made the move from menswear to designing solely for women, Eudon Choi went back to his roots. This really was feminine tailoring at its best and the dream working-wardrobe for any style-conscious gal.

Think crisp shirts long in the arm tied here and there, chunky knits that sit asymmetrically on the shoulder and wide, comfortable strides paired with classic white tennis shoes.

Eudon Choi’s creations were feminine tailoring at its best (Getty)

The looks were almost utilitarian with clean, crisp lines and a predilection towards khaki and navy tones but the designer’s feminine sensibility elevated them with opulent details like integrated waist ties, detachable skirts and a sharp shot of burnt orange.

Bora Aksu

London-based Turkish designer Bora Asku presented a powerful message with his super-ethereal collection. Romantic and elegant, it was inspired by a radical woman, Princess Sophia Duleep Singh – daughter of the Maharaja Duleep singh, goddaughter of Queen Victoria and one of the most prominent figures in the British Votes for Women movement.

From marching alongside Emmeline Pankhurst to throwing herself in front of Prime Minister Asquith’s car, Princess Sophia’s life was buried with contrasts and that’s exactly what we saw with this collection.

Romantic and elegant (Reuters)

Aristocratic ruffles of lace and silk tulle came alive in shades of lilac, blue and powder pink – think prairie style dresses, lace up bonnets and soft, feminine silhouettes. On the other hand, thick monochromatic plaid, button up booties and structured shirts represented a more defiant and commanding temperament.

It was a combination that, just like Fyodor Golan, attested that women, no matter how outwardly charming are a force to be reckoned with.

Ashley Williams

Since her SS15 debut, Ashley Williams has quickly become one of the most popular designers in London with the likes of Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof and Alice Dellal as front row guests and this season, the cool girl vibe was ever-present. For AW17, Williams looked to post-party nights, “It’s 5am, are you in paradise or paranoid?”

As the sound of tranquil birdsong chirped, models stormed the runway donned in everything from slick streetwear inspired by the Paninaro youth scene in 1980s milan to soft jersey tracksuits and cowboy hats.

Williams’ girlish peculiarity (Reuters)

Just as we hoped, her signature pieces emblazoned with skater-ish graphics reading “Misery” and “Save the Planet” were back again as was the bling. Adorning earrings with BOYS and GIRLS script or clipped to the hair to read PARANOIA and PARADISE, Williams’ calling cards cemented the collection’s girlish peculiarity.