Alternative Fashion Week 2010: Day Five

Elizabeth Wicox.

Wilfred Pletzinger.

Wilfred Pletzinger.

Christiane Chaves.

Toni Anne Haines

Newham College

Olivia Grogan

Sarina Hosking

Chelsea College of Art and Design

Waltham Forest College

Waltham Forest College

Laura Panter

Kim Seoghee

Kin Seoghee

Viveka Goyanes

Viveka Goyanes

Astrid Amalie Juliussen

Emma McCarthy reports from the final day of Alternative Fashion Week 2010.

Sport
Elizabeth Wilcox takes a leaf out of The Transformers utilitarian book and harnesses robotic structuring together with their unique ability to reinvent and adapt their physical appearance to convenience the occasion, to create a designer sportswear collection compatible with all seasons. High shine metallics fused with flouro yellow, orange and blue, suggestive of a retro 80’s vision of ‘futuristic’ and an almost techno club vibe. Lines of poppers represented nuts and bolts, with buttons and hinges creating movable joints and detachable sleeves. Boxy, rounded shapes met slim cut jeans and leggings, and the control panel bumbags were a winner with me. With 20 years of styling and designing behind him, Swedish-born Wilfried Pletzinger, reveals his exciting and eccentric sportswear collection to the British stage in today’s show.“The concept behind my pieces is that I work just with recycling, so I am buying secondhand clothes and changing them into something new”, he explains. Inspired by the identity behind sportswear clothing, Wilfried exaggerates the personality of an item with extensive detailing and reworked shapes. Outdoor synthetics, such as raincoats and winter clothes, form the basis of his most recent collection. “The theme is working with opposites, like tight and volume, and therefore I used rubber straps and created a lot of ruffling. I get inspired by the pieces themselves. I take the piece, and I look at the ways I could combine it.” Puffa jackets, cagoules and pull-overs were cinched, stretched and shrunken into a stand-out, fashion forward collection. “I love to show in London! People are more colourful, and the fashion is much more colourful than in Sweden. I live in Stockholm, and I think there is no place for me there.” The next step? “Berlin!” he exclaims.

Sex
A subliminal message of seduction came from Italian designer, Christiane Chaves, with a stylish and well-crafted range of nightclub attire, inspired by the Japanese photographer, Araki, and his study into pornography and eroticism, focusing particularly on his collection of bondage Polaroids. Using classic Italian styling, Christiane's collection features leather panelling, cord binds and glossy PVC to create a range of fashionably commercial, thigh-skimming dresses and dressed-up separates. Toni Ann Haines has produced an enigmatic collection based on love. The different stages of a relationship were depicted through the garments, with stylistic conventions conveying a message that extends beyond the general aesthetics of the clothing and allowed the audience to draw their own conclusions. For me, I considered that that the clear PVC and restricting corsets could signify an element of sex, the red of the leather portraying love and the necklines of the garments, which extend upwards to cover the models mouth and nose, almost like a gag, may invoke the darker side of commitment; perhaps an element oppression, constraint and lack of communication. Drag, fetish and burlesque reigns supreme in Imanni Da Silva’s collection of lingerie and dresses. Fur, leather, feathers and sequins were the obvious choice, as well as, interestingly, denim. The side split jeans, spray painted jackets and micro-mini skirts, emblazoned with the Stars and Stripes for a dose of good old-fashioned 90’s Americana Hooch. The girls (and guys) stomped out with spunk and vivacity, riling up the crowd with their fierce sashays and their burlesque showmanship. Imanni Da Silva; perfecting the art of performance. It’s what final days are made of!

Streaks
Newham College present their Spots and Stripes collection, inspired by organic forms, sinuous shapes and natural pigmentation. A selection of unconventionally tailored shirts in pink and white stripe and black polka dot, preceded a collection of bright, jewel coloured dresses, inspired by the environmental works of art and wrapping techniques of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Olivia Grogan’s collection, entitled ‘Urban Submersion’ depicts modern women’s wear inspired by our rising sea levels. Frothy, curling hems balanced bold vertical stripes and bordered distorted cityscapes prints, reminiscent of the lost city of Atlantis. Olivia delivers a finely cut collection of LA-esque halterneck dresses and oversized ruffled tank tops, perfect holiday wear for the beach or evening. The rope-handled tote bag with hot pink high-waisted shorts was my favourite of the six piece collection.

Storybooks
Sarina Hoskings’ tiny but amazingly detailed collection, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, gives us a smartly tailored Little Red Riding Hood, attempting to out-do, instead of out-run, her grandmother’s assassin. In all her polka-dotted, petticoated, picnic basket loveliness, and his snarling wolf mask offset by more than one set of tails, the classical representations of the fairytale duo featured against more overt, fairground burlesque style outfits, with sequin ra-ra skirts, metallic red bodices, and frilly, lace briefs.

Smiles
Chelsea College of Art and Design are the finale of the finale, wowing with their show-stopping interpretation of Modern Folk. Using almost every fabric and fibre known to man, every crayon in their box, and every colour in between, it was a truly captivating collection from start to finish. From origami swans on headpieces, to multicoloured tasselled fringing, and from horsehair capes, to felted patchwork evening gowns, the students encapsulate the eclectic, youthful vibe of gypsy folk with today’s outlandish and extreme city attitudes. A favourite that shone out for me, amongst all the dazzling colour and frenzied patterns, was a soft, pastel-coloured structured outfit, with a looped leather shrug, a painted, tiered corset, complete with large wooden blocked shapes used to create a stylish necklace and matching sandals. For me, this was an outfit that focused on the ‘modern’ aspect of the brief, and was one of the more wearable of the collection. A stunning laser cut, birds of paradise motif back panel, and an embellished peasant’s feather corset also caught my eye. But the stars of the show were the students who really took advantage of the assignment and indulged in the spirit and eclecticism of ‘folk’ philosophies, producing wild, energetic and tribal pieces. Old socks. Odd socks. Holey socks. Not the most exciting or inspirational items in the fashion world. But Waltham Forest College had other ideas, giving these sad old souls a new lease of life with their ‘Sock it to me’ collection of make do and mend, featuring designs crafted out of recycled socks. The patterns created from the piecing together of scraps and off cuts made for unusual arrangements, ribbed surfaces and the little heels of the socks creating pockets of texture. In baby blue, pale pink and soft grey, the outfits complement the girls’ crimped, almost-updo’s and their broken-down-doll smeared make up.

Sentimentality
For Laura Panter’s latest collection ‘Cries Adolescence’, she combines playful scallops and shapes with the womanly curves of her gorgeous models. Oversized tulip skirts, wide-leg trousers and exaggerated necklines met miniature belts, tiny waistlines and pastel shades of felt, jersey and wool detail.
Laura Fox celebrates British heritage in her collection inspired by rural pastures and the women that inhabit them. Demure a-line shift dresses, shrunken waistcoats, batwing sleeved trench coats and flared culottes feature in Harris Tweed, oilskin and pretty pink floral print. Subtle details pull the line together, with red lining matching red lipstick, pearls juxtaposing Welly boots and mannish brogues, and striking peasant feather fascinators decorating sensible up-dos. An interwoven, criss-cross pattern created in the fabric of the tweed culottes added a polished and original element.

Sophistication
Dover Street market Goth features in Kim Seoghee’s latest commercial collection from her label, Another 7th Day, offering men’s and women’s wear with serious attitude. With models decked out in either all black or all white outfits, the collection features asymmetrical tailoring, frayed fabrics and deconstructed structuring. With a cohesive, fashion-forward range for the grungy and the rebellious, Another 7th Day rivals the signature style of the likes of Balmain and All Saints.
Spanish designer, Viveka Goyanes presents her label Amoelbarroco and her latest collection, entitled Brummella the Dandella. Her retro, avant-garde signature looks draw inspiration from historical tailoring, urbanisation and the aesthetics of modern art. Nautical elements, such as a peachy pin-up print and monochromatic stripes, features against the classic Victorian styling of high necklines, frilled bibs and bloomers. Viveka adds curves with puff-ball shoulders and hip padding. I earmarked a pair of Alice-in-wonderland-esque leggings with a patchwork, black and white harlequin print for my shopping basket.
Astrid Amalie Juliussen’s gives us her perception of Danish chic with her classy and colourful collection of soft, feminine and edgy styles. Scarlet, aqua and fuchsia brights were offset by pale grey and a beautiful Pucci-esque printed silk, flecked with emerald green. Astrid uses fluid draping and layering, handkerchief hems and light ruching to create her collection of dresses, jumpsuits and sporty separates.

Photos: Emma McCathy
Video: MB Films www. mbfilms.co.uk