Karine Laudort 
London Fashion Week had fastly approached and what a fabulous season it was. With emerging, established designers and our favourite powerhouses hitting the catwalks to display their Spring Summer collections for 2023, I can definitely say that this season was highly anticipated and what an awesome season it had been. With HM Queen Elizabeth II’s passing coming just before the start of fashion week, many had paid homage to the late Queen in their exhibits to show gratitude and honour the work the late Head of State had done for the country, whilst other designers pulled out of their show to pay their respects. However, this London Fashion Week season was still hectic and super busy for everyone involved- Let’s see what went down.
Paul Costelloe
For Spring/Summer 2023 Paul Costelloe has delved into a riot of colour. From paintbox primary colours of bright yellows, oranges and reds, to a flower-strewn paradise and closing in a watercolour dreamworld. Costelloe’s statement coats and jackets are crafted in summer woven fabrics whilst his whimsical, flounce silhouettes are presented in textured jacquards and luminous silks.
(17/09) One fashion show I always anticipate is Paul Costelloe’s; The mastermind behind some of the most rebellious looks, worn by icon and legend, Lady Diana Spencer. This season, Costelloe showed the world what the last few years have meant for fashion and what he envisions for the future.
Throughout the display, we saw vivacious colours with a range of different ensembles; Delicate cotton layering and refined cable knits, complimented with exaggerated trousers and long flowing skirts to dramatic tailoring and sculpted midsummer dresses with his staple floral prints.
The Irish-born designer knew how to catch our eyes. With all models sporting blonde and dip-dyed bob wigs, all attention was drawn to his encapsulating display of high-spirited and flouncy ensembles. From accentuated shoulders to sculpted balloon skirts, Costelloe reminded us that whilst fashion has been at a standstill for the last few years due to coronavirus, there is always exponential growth waiting behind and it is definitely worth the wait.
Jaded Life Collective
The Jaded Life Collective (JLC) comprises an informal, rotating membership of up to 40 designers who take part in various fashion events from runway showcases to tradeshows, pooling experience and know-how to demonstrate the collective’s mission of effecting mutual support to emerging talent. Fashion shows are curated to showcase complementary designers thematically for a given show. This is facilitated in part by teams of partners and sponsors who support the Jaded Life Collective’s social enterprise ethos and values. We acknowledge the ongoing support of many individual supporters and organisations, including those listed below who have contributed to enabling this scheduled British Fashion Council-listed catwalk show.
Here were the 5 designers showcasing this season: Sibu Dladla, House of Avida by Bettina Pagh, Popstacular by Taylor Bystrom, Sofie Svenninggaard, Vaseghia by Alisa Vaseghia.
Highlights:
Sibu Dladla
Jaded Life Collective founder, Sibu Dladla’s fashions comprise both bespoke and off-the-peg pret-a-porter affordable luxury ranges, a highlight being the signature brocade dinner jackets accented with bold batik-style linings.
He displayed an array of eclectic ensembles throughout his collection, with leather and mixed media as the focal point. From leather blouses paired with matching leggings, accessorised with chains, a leather choker and a bright red off-the-shoulder jacket, to brightly-painted trench coats, Sibu Dladla’s SS23 show enhanced our understanding of the power of leather, blacks and reds; With his dark, sooty but bold collection opening the Jaded Life Collective show, he set the bar high for the next designers.
House of Avida by Bettina Pagh
Bettina Pugh’s label House of Avida gave us all that it needed to give. House of Avida provides you with designs for a sustainable wardrobe that lasts for years. The collection can be styled and mixed in many ways and everything fits together. All fabrics and materials are selected to ensure the highest quality that lasts year after year.
Her collection played around with a range of different styles and materials but baby yellow, white, black silver and the occasional daring colour was what Pugh decided to go with. “I wanted to create high-quality, exclusive designs with a timeless touch,” stated Pugh and I think we can all agree that the outcome definitely exceeded the expectations.
Pugh had played around with frills, glitter fabrics, tassels and velvet and created these fabulous ensembles. One outfit that stood out the most was her crushed velvet Cadbury purple suit- I’d say it was giving “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets new age fashion freak” and I am so here for it. Not only did the collection have vibrancy and class but it mixed vintage fashion styles with modern silhouettes and cuts.
Yonghao Xie
Yonghao Xie is a Chinese-born, Antwerp-based designer of a new generation of fashion talent emerging from China. Yonghao studied MA&BA Fashion at the prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Art, Antwerp, graduating in 2022.
The theme of the collection, “INTO A BETTER WORLD,” revolves around the serious damage to the natural environment caused by electronic waste, nuclear pollution, and war. YONGHAO XIE aims to make more people pay attention to environmental protection and build a utopia of a better living space.
Yonghao Xie debuted his SS23 collection at the Fashion Scout show and the collection had everything we needed and more. One model sporting a turquoise draped hooded blouse matched with leopard print trousers and another wearing a split-colour, big-sleeved collared maxi dress and a blue and orange circular face guard.
With sustainability and environmental protection at the forefront of Yonghao’s collection, we saw his alternative utopian fever dream become a reality with his bold silhouettes and striking compositions.
Apujan
APUJAN’s new show “Fantasy Hotel in the Sky” combines a fashion show with a drama, starring actors Wilson Hsu, Josie-Lin, Rakuten Girls’ Chen, Yi-Jui and Golden Horse Award winner MoTzu-Yi.
Special guests include blind pianist Huang Yu-Siang and DJ So Lonely, who are also invited to illustrate this brand-new theme. APUJAN’s previous fashion shows have paid tribute to classic mystery and detective novels. This season, in addition to the detective theme, the influence of the oriental classic “Journey to the West” can also be seen in the characters and accessories.
Every season, Apujan never fails to miss with its daring collections. Inspired by traditional oriental clothing, they were also elements of western clothing throughout with a daring twist. With all models sporting traditional geisha-inspired makeup and hairstyles, we knew that this show was going to be the best yet.
From origami-style dresses to cut-out print dresses with traditional kimono necklines, Apujan’s SS23 collection reinvented classic oriental fashions and mixed them with elegance, sexiness, and embraced both traditional and modern-day styles. One model sported a glittery cross-over crop top with two pieces of fabric wrapped around her chest area, paired with a midi skirt that had a high-leg slit and another was wearing a grey silk low-cut dress paired with white platform shoes.
Emerge
London (September 18th, 2022) – Oxford Fashion Studio returned to London Fashion Week to catapult twelve up-and-coming designers into the market with their Emerge platform. The show welcomed a full crowd in their unique space at Devonshire Square.
Tokyo Twiggy
Tokyo Twiggy is a high-end streetwear brand offering not only comfort but unique style that draws cultural inspiration from Japan and other countries around the world. The brand was started back in 2018 by designer Jenn Felts when she was still in the fashion design program at the Art Institute of Indianapolis. While in school, Jenn realized there was a lack of fabrics that met her creative needs. She started designing her own textiles, with colourful prints, designs, and words displayed across them. These prints have set Jenn apart as a designer and helped her build the Tokyo Twiggy brand we know today.
The Impact collection is inspired by several concepts. The textiles were made to look like kimono patterns using flowers of meanings such as rebirth and death. Shibari (Japanese Rope Technique) shows that women are both seen as objects and losing rights to their own bodies and yet women should feel free sexually and have rights to their own bodies without stigma. It is also used to show that women are bound. Impact refers to many things such as the impact of rights to women, to stand out and make a difference, and to be seen and heard.
Toyko Twiggy combined cultural inspiration from Japanese traditional wear and patterns with modern, contemporary silhouettes. From typical kimono patternings matched with figure-hugging outlines and structured shoulders to mini dresses paired with plain black belts to cinch the waist and a peplum frill, Twiggy brought modern, oriental fashion to a whole new level.
The use of Rope also known as “shibari” was present throughout the show also, displaying that there are multiple ways to cinch and frame your waist and torso. Twiggy’s use of layering and cut-outs is what makes her work so compelling. Taking traditional garments and reviving them into something modern and trendy whilst paying homage to the culture and roots is so special and I cannot wait to see what the brand has in store for the future.
Janet Medina
By the early age of six, Janet Medina already knew how to use her needle and thread to make dresses for her barbies out of leftover fabric her grandmother tossed while she worked on her sewing machine. Inspired by her ancestors, Medina has never stopped pursuing her career in fashion. Janet launched her first brand TheGoddessBoutique in 2019 featuring chic, sexy, and elegant garments. As she aimed to provide timeless garments in the fast fashion market, her true calling has always been high fashion, runways, and couture. Janet Medina’s designs are a balance of timeless elegance and ethereal energy.
This couture collection, Ethereal Energy, was inspired by spring and summer colours and healing stones that give the garments more individual meaning, appreciation and adds a spiritual concept to fashion in 2023. The designs highlight mostly soft summer colours with a touch of metallics. Medina designs with elegance and sensuality making her work perfect for an elegant event or vacations. To Medina, fashion is spiritual.
Janet Medina gave us pastels, pastels and even more pastels! Her exquisite collection was made up of stunning silhouettes, gorgeous sultry cut-outs and fabulous softened colours which makes me even more excited for next year’s spring/summer. From one-shoulder structured dresses layered underneath with tulle for an extra bounce to corset tops matched with v-line shorts and a dramatic off-the-shoulder tulle gown, the collection named “Ethereal Energy” is a great way to describe the fabulous collection.
With soft pastel greens, pinks, blues and yellows taking the main stage, the SS23 collection from Medina was definitely easy on the eye. With many off-the-shoulder, strapless and high-neck pieces, Medina played around with a lot of techniques and silhouettes this year but one thing she did for sure gave us a peek into the fairytale dream that she has envisioned for Spring Summer 2023.
London fashion week was fun-filled, full of jaw-dropping fits and silhouettes. From Paul Costelloe’s efflorescent collection to Sibu Dladla’s glamourous but raging leather ensembles, London Fashion Week gave us everything we needed and more. This has got me wondering what the designers have up their sleeves for next season.
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