Bora Aksu fuk@lfw s/s 07

Earlier this year, Bora Aksu collaborated with leading light of the contemporary dance world, the Cathy Marston Project. His brief was to create their performance costumes and in so doing address the challenges of designing for dancers. This exploration of movement, stage presence and how to maintain beauty is a theme that he has channelled into his S/S 07 show. The result is 'clothes that resemble the way dancers might be dressed when changing from their sportswear into their stage costumes'.

The show opened with a five minute dance performance which, to our un-trained eyes, looked like a cross between ballet and capoeira. Whatever it was, it was jolly pleasant to watch, especially the way the male dancer's clothes went tight across his muscly bits.

An additional collaboration, this time with Converse, has prompted Aksu to deconstruct the iconic baseball boot and combine its sporty elements with couture techniques to come with a collection that is quite a departure from his previous work.

Sneaker laces and eyelets are re-interpreted in corseted belts or support structures that hold garments away from the body. Warm up clothes become luxury pieces as jersey mixes with silk satins, leathers and hand-stitched fabrics. The mix of floaty romanticicsm and slightly kinky restriction works well.

To our own personal, ever-expanding, Fashion Week wish list we have now added the super-long gold lurex leggings and/or the leggings with drawstrings. And a pair of 45" legs.

Words: Maia Adams
Photos: David Jones