Anya Hindmarch's road show an entrancing ode to M25

The accessories designer has a reputation for putting on a jolly good show, and this was no exception

Rebecca Gonsalves
Tuesday 24 February 2015 21:45 GMT
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Accessories designer Anya Hindmarch continued her experimentation with low culture in high fashion today, with an ode to the M25. But rather than the rising blood pressure for which that particular road is known, Hindmarch was referring instead to the trance induced by a clear stretch and “the combination of lights, reflective surfaces and your favourite piece of music”.

Hindmarch’s tongue was placed firmly in cheek then, as she presented a collection which melded the ubiquitous signage of the British road system. Bags, ranging from prim, top-handled pyramid shapes in python to satchel styles in Capra (goat) leather, implored witnesses to “stop” and “go”, while traffic-cone tassels dangled from straps.

Hindmarch has a reputation for putting on a jolly good show, and this was no exception, with its rousing finale performed by the London Gay Men’s Chorus, resplendent in hazmat orange and white safety helmets. The unrelenting novelty of Hindmarch’s collections can grate – such silliness comes at a high price.

Marques’Almeida’s collection was faithful to the design duo’s signature. Fans of their Nineties-inspired raw-edged denim and chiffon clothes will be happy, and patchworked brocade pieces show they are gradually expanding their sights. The colour palette of marigold yellow, Kermit green and hints of pink was striking, but may not translate well on the sales floor.

Usually known for his pastels-on-acid palette and aesthetic. Ryan Lo ventured in a different direction this season with a tightly edited homage to Anna Karenina, Odette and Odile from Swan Lake and Elsa from Frozen. Surprisingly, this was some of Lo’s most restrained, elegant and even bourgeois work, with hints of Victoriana.

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