London Fashion Week Opens with Mythological Musings and Modern Goddesses
London Fashion Week commenced with a striking presence of divinities, as a series of shows by burgeoning design houses—Di Petsa, George Keburia, and Fashion East—reimagined dashing deities and after-hours idols. This overarching theme set a mythological tone for the opening days, showcasing creative interpretations of ancient power in a contemporary context.
Di Petsa's latest collection, in particular, featured goddesses in abundance, with multiple iterations of Aphrodite and even a few Poseidons gracing the co-ed runway. These divinities, envisioned for exclusive nightclubs rather than Mount Parnassus, were clad in semi-sheer, barely-there cutaway dresses, their hair meticulously waxed and curled, presenting a distinctive vision from designer Dimitra Petsa. Key pieces included a micro bikini adorned with Cyrillic symbols and matching fabric wings, a seductive bikini paired with a long, slashed T-shirt bearing the inscription "Fragments of Aphrodite," and a mud-splattered white cut-top that merged into a daring cocktail dress, proclaiming "Angel of Athens."
The models’ elongated limbs were artfully smeared with white dust or soil, evoking an alopecia-like effect, culminating in a dramatic finale where two maidens gently cleansed the mud from a winged goddess of Samothrace. Staged in the basement of a neo-classical mansion near St. Pancras, the set design featured small mounds of dust, broken pediments, and columns, conjuring the atmosphere of ancient Mediterranean ruins or a collapsed temple. Despite the setting, the mood was far from defeated; instead, it exuded defiance as models navigated the space in body-con attire, with yards and shards of chiffon artfully draped and wrapped around their torsos. The powerful soundtrack, a dramatic synth blast titled "Tefnut Is the Goddess of Precipitation" by Violet Wilson, underscored this commanding aesthetic.
Next, George Keburia, a self-taught designer from Georgia, whose talent was recognized globally at the 2017 Vogue Talents showcase in Milan, offered a poignant farewell to Anna Wintour, a figure instrumental in establishing that award. His tribute, a black T-shirt emblazoned with "Bye Anna" in red lettering, was styled with a flouncy faille, petal-shaped mini-skirt, and striking red-lace dominatrix boots in black patent leather. Drawing on his Georgian heritage—a land central to Jason and the Argonauts' quest for the Golden Fleece—Keburia populated his show with various nightclub interpretations of ancient Greek goddesses. Held in an intimate theatre beneath Victoria Embankment, the collection saw Medea, the goddess of wisdom, reimagined in a double-breasted jacket over medieval courtier shorts. Different versions of Hecate, traditionally depicted with torches or snakes, appeared on drum majorette tops and skirts, sometimes incorporating motifs inspired by the Cross of St. George from the national flag.
The enchantress Circe captivated in a shimmering silver metallic micro breastplate paired with matching boots and a turquoise mini bubble skirt, or even more daringly, in a denim cutaway corset featuring frogging, worn over micro shorts, metal chains, and diabolical dominatrix boots. While Keburia also presented more classic pieces, such as admiral’s blazers reminiscent of Ralph Lauren, and a crisp white pant suit worthy of Saint Laurent, the true essence of the show lay in its ribald humor and the portrayal of after-hours warrior women—a distinctive spectacle often uniquely found in London.
The industry's most crucial scouting platform, Fashion East, celebrated its 25th anniversary this season by spotlighting a trio of innovative designers: Jacek Gleba, Mayhew, and Nuba. This landmark event continued its legacy of discovering and nurturing fresh talent.
As Bertrand Russell once mused that only in thought is man a god, Jacek Gleba’s collection proposed that the same could be true in fashion and sport. His designs masterfully combined organza with technical active sports materials, creating an unexpected sense of dynamism and vitality. Gleba, a former dancer turned designer, skillfully integrated track pants and leggings with floral tops, suspending triangles of chiffon from shoulders and waistlines to suggest perpetual motion. His co-ed cast was swathed in loose Aertex tops, fencing corsets, or transparent jerkins, with inspiration drawn from a 1912 image of Nijinsky, his body bent, his thighs wrapped in a skirt. The overall impression was that of medal-winning Olympians celebrating their gold at an exclusive post-podium cocktail event.
Staged within the ICA art space on The Mall, mere hundreds of yards from Buckingham Palace, the Fashion East showcase opened with Mayhew. The collection embraced a "mudlarking" aesthetic, characterized by numerous paint-splattered fabrics and scrunchy materials. Designer Louis Mayhew presented super cool street chic, though without introducing anything overtly revolutionary to the fashion landscape.
Rounding out this innovative trilogy was Nuba, featuring very clever minimalist interpretations of fracks and redingotes. Designer Cameron Williams, who clearly possesses considerable tailoring skills and expertise, crafted these pieces predominantly from donated materials. Nuba, while not featuring goddesses, certainly delivered an abundance of sartorial groove and marked Williams as a name to watch in the industry.
