The RCA MA fashion show offered truly innovative and inspired designs, bringing a fresh new perspective on what British fashion is today. From hyper prints to futuristic goth’s and even underwater inspired clothing all made for a year of exciting and promising designers. One of the key ideas coming from these budding designers was the idea of volume within the silhouettes, both menswear and womens. Shapes were larger, 3-D and geometric, pushing fashion into new territories. Texture clashing also seemed popular with wool, fur, leather, and all arrays of knitwear parading down the catwalk. It seems this year’s climate shock has also had an influence on the designs as utility style clothing was upgraded into high fashion categories. See below for our extensive review of those who showed this year.
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Brioni – Taking a different approach to the casual/formal style, Brioni looked at the blazer as a focal point. In dynamic cuts and subtle segmentation, dressing up a pair of jeans has never been so easy.
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Lorren Johnson – Hyper coloured prints were the sole message in this collection. Loose jumpsuits in vivid prints were given a slightly urban/ethnic mash up, reminiscent of the style of M.I.A. The wool cocoon style knits rivaled the prints in both boldness and style.
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Rebecca Thomson – Dramatic with a dark flair, Thomson gave us the silhouette of the future. Using heavy mesh to create solid, organic shapes, alongside moody colours the clothes reflected a slightly dystopian idea of fashion, but pushed the boundaries of what the female form should look like.
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Alexander Lamb – A synthesis of both utility and style, Lamb takes traditional, functional clothes and makes them both sartorially edgy and modern. With balaclavas and mac’s given new life in interesting cuts, clashing with bold prints and layered upon each other, today’s man can brave any element in style.
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Ryan Mercer – Focusing on the silhouette, shapes became rounder and bolder in Mercer’s collection. Using sumptuous leather in an eclectic pallet of colours, there was a quirky yet modern approach to this collection. Rather than clashing, these shapes and colours seem to work harmoniously together, bringing a fresh perspective to modern fashion.
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Peter Bailey – Loud and proud was the theme of this collection. With a look evoking the nostalgia of the 70′s prints were hyped and were jazzed up with the bold colour use of red, blue, pink and purple.
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Samantha Bushell – A more mature collection with knitwear for the intelligent woman. Prints were however quirky and graphic, keeping the style of the collection young and contemporary. Knitted dresses had streamlined paneling, balancing the intelligent style with a demure sexiness.
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Rajinder Johal – Blue was the colour as the palette for Johal’s collection was a cool shade of turquoise. A mixture of Studio 54 and futuristic functionality was present throughout from asymmetric jumpsuits to streamlined jackets. Outfits were topped off chunky belts and zips, the new accessories perhaps?
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Rebecca Neary – Another story in utilitarian wear but with a softer approach. From loose nylon to sumptuous knitwear and buttery leather, Neary gave us a more sensitive way to protect ourselves from the harsh elements. The details gave this collection it’s charm with knitted patterns, pastel hues and a minimal harness on one outfit.
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Hannah Morgan – Minimalism and sculptural, Morgan created tactile yet beautiful clothes. In tones of white and grey, the structure was the focus with shoulder being strong and round whilst the clothes themselves were boxy yet seductive. The minimalist aesthetic was the perfect backdrop to the statement futuristic accessories that adorned the girls.
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Holly Russell – It was a battle between sharp shapes and flowing organza in Russell’s collection. Defined, geometric jackets were combined with elegant, loose bottoms and vice versa. Beautiful, iridescent metallic shone throughout giving the luxe look a whole new meaning.
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Alexander James – It was all about a touch of androgyny, with lace, velvet and fur all combined to bring a decadent yet eccentric feel to Jame’s aesthetic. Trousers were looser and the use of lace and feather pushed the boundaries of modern menswear. With bold shoulders, cinched in waists and subtle prints the crossover between menswear and womenswear has never been so organic.
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Claire Zeng – Colours smouldered in black and tones of orange and pink in this collection. Prints were dark yet ethereal and gorgeous silk and cosy wool was toughened up with PVC accents.
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Apu Jan - Knitwear went over to the dark side with cardigan, hats and dresses all in black, grey and blue. A vast variety of textures were used from fringing to billowing and accentuated by the loose silhouettes. The shapes of the outfits truly made this collection stand out.
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Benedicte Holmboe – It was all about the wool and fur with texture being a key point with Holmboe. Knitwear was revamped in a myriad of prints and textures which were loose and slightly sporty. The modern gentleman traveller.
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Rachel Chan – Chan reinvented what tweed is all about in stunning soft geometry patterns. The prints were compounded by the used of subtle pastel tones in grey, mint and yellow. Dresses hung close to the body whilst jumpers and jackets were boxer to counterbalance the proportions. Fresh and invigorating.
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Tom Crisp – The new Grunge has arrived with Crisp’s outfits. Rather than tears and rips, it was more about segmentation, with contrasting collars, patchwork and a mix of khaki and luxe prints.
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Colette Vermeulen – Colours were saccharin and sweet, matched by the use of quirky prints. The silhouettes were draped and very segmented showing off the body in subtly yet seductive ways. One part eccentric, a dash of mad and a pinch of attitude made for a highly interesting collection.
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Rachael Hall – Weird yet wonderful would be the best way to describe Hall’s work. With hypnotic, jagged prints clashing to full effect and the use of hyper colours made for a charming look. With large bright knitwear teamed with flowing skirts in similar colours, topped off with patent shoes (in matching shades of course), fashion can be mad and fabulous.
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Zac Marshall – An eclectic collection with looks that ranged from new hippy to a Moroccan dandy. Prints were statement alongside luxurious velvet, bring decadence to the modern age.
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Daniel Pollitt – Sloucy never looked so cool with Pollitt’s collection. Knitwear was voluptuous, and bold with slinky dresses juxtaposing perfectly. Comfort and class combined into one forward thinking look.
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Julia Ida Mackenroth – It seemed this collection, like a phoenix, was born from the ashes of a fashion blazer. The palette resembled fierce embers in black, grey and orange and textures ranging from PVC to leather and cotton. Prints were intricate and brought the outfits to boiling point. The Mackenroth girl is hot and tough.
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Ichiro Suzuki – This collection was designer with a genius in mind. With graphic prints and beautiful 3-D elements, Suzuki created something truly bold and innovative. From pixels and fur to 3-D cubes on blazers, whilst eccentric there is an intelligent design that is admirable. You can be bold and still retain a sense of conservatism.
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Lucy Hammond – Contrast was the theme in Hammond’s collection with outfits segmented to combined two separate looks into one cohesive look. There was a 1920′s flapper feel to the looks (topped with graphic “bob” style hats) and shimmering, layered dresses. Sheer, matted fur, slouchy wool and everything in between created an eccentric look that seemed to have taken references from history itself.
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Peiran Gong – A tangy range of colours used in brilliant hyper, mirror prints created a mouthwatering feast for the eyes. Combined with voluminous tops, the ladylike look just got a boost of adrenaline.
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Hiroaki Kanai – It was a story of proportions, creating a new silhouette for the male form. Waists were the main focus with jackets cinched in, cropped or trousers that were high waisted. This was combined with bold shoulders, voluminous sleeves and structure cap-style t-shirts. Futuristic menswear is firmly this winters big story.
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Shubham Jain – Jain’s bright and in your face style was a punchy wake up to the potential of clothing. With scupltural knotted details and searingly bright colours, each dress was a mind boggling statement in its own right. It was loud and proud whilst clearly having an thorough and thought-out approach that achieved some spectacular results.
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Trine Hav Christensen – It seemed that Christensen had emerged from under the sea with this collection. With clear PVC jackets and metallic “seaweed” inspired decolage, it was as though mystical mermaids had sprouted legs and were strutting down the runway. With billows, frills and acidic colours all used together, this was a collection that made you go “what was that”! But of course in a good way.
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Alex Mullins – The finale to this year’s RCA MA show was apologetically camp and audacious. Mixing together anything and everything, from fuzzy hats and striped fur to fringing, print and cowboy hats. Over the top perhaps, but the individual pieces were crafted with a brilliant outlook on what menswear means today.
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It’s about pushing the boundaries of what it means to be stylish. 2012 showed us that there is an infinite number of ways to approach fashion, and these young designers will no doubt direct the British fashion industry into new and exciting territories.
Written by Jazzino Tamani
Photography by Alan Parker
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