CHARLES JEFFREY LOVERBOY // LFWM AW20

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There is always such excitement when we receive the tickets for Charles Jeffrey Loverboy and this season was no exception. The invitation itself was truly spellbinding, coming in the form of part Look Book and part Editorial, entitled, ‘HELL MEND YOU’, with these incredibly moving shots referencing the Festival of the Horse in Orkney (marking a celebration when children dress up as Clydesdale horses.). To say I was intrigued is an understatement….

The set featured an oak tree as the centre piece, with the Oak King known to be the wisest of the trees and heralding the returning of the sun after the battle with the Holly King at the Winter Solstice, the darkest point of the year according to Druid tradition. Having sacrificed himself at the Summer Solstice when the nights become longer, this is why he is associated with sacrifice, death and rebirth. The oak trees are of course sacred to the Druids, making up their sacred groves and regarded as the Tree of life, with its deep roots piercing into the underworld and even echoing our own Alveoli in the lungs through the most divine of symmetry through the concept of ‘As above so Below’.  We know of course that trees utilise a process called photosynthesis to create the very oxygen we breathe from. Oak trees are full of healing powers and one can simply walk around the tree, meditating on any ailments being carried away by the first bird to fly off their branches. This was a deeply profound way for the theme of the show to be executed, through a kind of group healing as the models walked around the Oak tree. 

“An older, hidden generation have made brutal calculations and we’ve inherited their catastrophe. While they look on, we suffer the consequences, paying a sacrificial price in blood.” This was the call by Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, a call to arms for us to all bear collective and individual responsibility truly change humanity’s path. Charles Jeffrey Loverboy has also promised to, “place equal value on human wellbeing alongside financial growth”, which in an industry such as Fashion, is a very conscious way to approach production that has so often been focussed on rapid material gain, regardless of the impact. It’s great to hear that the label will be using organic cottons, localised production and chemical free Denim, which will ensure these incredible pieces remain sustainable, toxic free and environmentally aware.

A nod to his Scottish roots was referenced in the Tam o’Shanter hats and sporran-shaped handbags. Teddy boy tailoring and magic mushroom inspired prints further added to the juxtaposition between the modern and the mystical. Indeed, my absolute favourite had to be the love heart look, which reminded us that love is truly the thing that connects us in the end. 

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Bright London Morning

The trick to understanding the human experience is recognising that nothing stays the same forever. With everything being in perpetual motion, every morning we have the chance to start anew and the only guarantee we seemingly have is that the sun will set and rise again. This idea of daily renewal forms the basis of Qasimi’s Autumn/Winter 2020 collection. 

At a time when the human condition appears to be so divided, the Qasimi urban nomad is more connected to his roots than ever and this is clearly shown with darker undertones juxtaposed with the knowledge that there is also light, a sign of hope. This is reflected in the palette of the collection, which contains intensely rich earth tones such as Persian plum, Arabica and scarab, further lifted by warming hues of turmeric and myrrh. These are in turn cooled down and cemented by grey, black and off-white tones of asphalt, obsidian and marble.

Central to the collection were also removable badges of military influence, bearing embroidered symbols and texts, such as a sun derived from Sharjah’s etymology, the ‘Rising Sun’, as well as a coiled serpent representing infinity and continuity, and finally the words ‘Renewal, Rebirth, Immortality’, with a promise to strive to continue Khalid Al Qasimi’s legacy.

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Bright London Morning

How does one create a new future without reflection upon one’s origins? Astrid Andersen presented us with nostalgic reflections of her youth and her childhood family home in Denmark, even revisiting her own work and reworking her archives from the beginning of the last decade. 

This was such a powerful expression of how we all grow and evolve, but only through looking back retrospectively do we truly see how everything has happened as it was meant to and just how much we change in ways you can never predict. 

We were treated to signature pieces of form fitting sportswear, logos galore and tracksuits and this was clearly a collection for the trailblazer in fashion without sacrificing comfort. The boiler suit and balaclavas were showstoppers for me and contained distorted floral prints. This was uniquely reimagined from Andersen’s mother’s sofa, which she brought with her when she first left home as a homage to her maternal roots.  

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Bright London Morning

As we start the new decade, the reality of how we have abused and destroyed Mother Earth is the hot topic of the moment, especially when working in an industry which has of course contributed directly to this. Patrick Grant summarised this uneasy realisation in his release: “Fashion, a world of consumption and destruction that heaps misery upon human beings and reaps damage on the planet on a scale almost no other industry comes close to matching.” 

E.Tautz’s AW20 offering was a decidedly more solution based approach to fashion, with an emphasis on sustainability. With about 50 percent of the collection having been made from repurposed fabrics, there was an emphasis on darning and patching. As always, we were still treated to beautifully luxurious and silhouetted menswear. We also saw twill chinos and blousons, matched with Louboutin pumps and herringbone moments, which was as always elegant menswear at its most charming. 

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Bright London Morning

‘Motherhood, sisterhood, and the family we choose too’, was the inspiration for Bethany Williams AW20 collection. Since becoming a mother myself, nothing else comes close to the  empowerment you feel to appreciate the sheer majesty and strength of mothers, the feminine spirit and the sisterhood it brings. 

The support network of one’s elders, friends and family becomes ever more pronounced and some of course for the better and some for the worse. Using techniques inspired by children’s clothing, the overalls and trousers were covered with visible stitches and fun pops of colour. Stand out moments were the painted pieces which were reminiscent of a Matisse painting and ever so striking. 

Bethany Williams is ever evolving in her consciousness and has chosen to collaborate with The Magpie Project, a Newham based charity, which functions as a support network for mothers and children in temporary accommodation, which I think is such an important and altruistic way to use her platform. 

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Bright London Morning

Community and belonging are at the core of the AW20 collection by Per Götesson,something which is so palpable as we realise that what truly matters is the wellness of one and all, rather than just for the nefarious few. This was showcased in the set design, which was in parts added to by students from LCF and really showing that creative expression is universal. 

There were upcycled pieces which showcased a sustainable take on collage, with denim jackets mixed with panels of old leather or long-sleeve cotton jerseys that patch together elements of discovered garments. Denim on denim forged a rather innovative path for the start of the decade, with ruched midi hoodies and even a playsuit of sorts with utilitarian pockets and the print of the ocean. Stand out pieces were the aprons, which gave me modern day Hephaestus vibes and with it, this really summed up the feel of the collection, which highlighted the strengths in what unites us to create anew from the fire. 

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Bright London Morning

This season, Grace Wales Bonner was inspired by the 1970s and with it, the second-generation Caribbean immigrants who created their own communities and night life in white Britain. Mixing together the Jamaican and British influences, the collection was a beautiful mixture of British tweeds and suiting with Fair Isle knits, bright colours and trenches. With the set comprising of brown Formica tables and a sound system of epic proportions, this all added to the feel of an era which was hugely impacted by this culture, not only in fashion but also musically. 

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Bright London Morning

For Pronounce’s AW20 offering, we were treated to rich elemental exploration. There were prints reminiscent of a raging fire, as well as the edges of fire and water. This is of course the basis of all life on earth and balancing these elements within us leads to immense healing. 

Fire is representative of the masculine principle and the passionate kickstart to seed creativity, while water is representative of the feminine principle of emotions and flow, where creation is incubated, nurtured and grown. In this way we can see how the waters are the womb of the earth so to speak. 

The collection was inspired by the story of the 108 heroes who went to Liangshan in the "Water Margin", a Chinese classical novel by Shui Hu Zhuan, in which they go to the mountains to achieve their dreams away from the personal demands in society. The characters in the novel are both good and evil, embodying the duality of Yin and Yang. With Fashion Week falling in Capricorn season, the mountain reference was particularly poignant. We all have our own mountains to climb, but what exactly are we striving for? Worldly or spiritual success? 

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Bright London Morning

Xander Zhou’s AW20 offering was a visionary expression of the clothing we may be wearing in the future as the age of Aquarius gets underway. Opening the show with a robotic voice, reminiscent of Aldous Huxley’s opening chapter of the Island, this set the scene rather atmospherically for the mind blowing show. 

We were treated to Uranian-esque looks, with visionary lightning bolts echoing our own nervous system’s electricity and how we are bioelectric beings. We also saw pixelated faces adorning a suit, exploring the notion of true privacy or anonymity in our modern world and with the introduction of more and more man-made technology, this cuts us off further and further from natural cycles and natural law. This theme was continued in looks which were literally split down the middle and this of course appealed to my Gemini sensibilities, with a very intelligent exploration of what it truly means to be human in an ever-increasing digitalised world. 

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Bright London Morning

We were treated to a traditional Iranian wedding for paria/FARZANEH’s AW20 offering, which was just so special and with the men and women even being seated separately. However, this was no ordinary wedding and instead, we saw the groom wearing an anorak zipped up to the nose with a mosaic print and hiking boots, while the bride was dressed in a white gown of lace. I absolutely adore the paisley print by paria, dyed from turmeric and saffron, which was such a beautiful way to incorporate the print normally seen on more formal pieces with a practical outerwear piece. Bravo! 

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Bright London Morning

Bianca Saunders is always such a treat as she always provides such an authentic expression of design. For Autumn/Winter 2020, this was no exception, as she presented a deeply personal collection, with both her Black Caribbean roots and her signature cutting capturing movement in clothes. One of the most strikingly beautiful themes of the collection was the wave like shapes on the hair of the models and so too was the wire running through the hem of a black cotton drill shirt, capturing a moment of fluidity. This felt like the primordial waters from which we are all birthed, showing how water signifies our emotional connection to our roots. 

We witnessed an evolving interest in experimentation in this collection, with waistcoats being cut super-long and their points reaching the knees, while t-shirts are folded and gathered. Saunders also introduces pops of colour for the first time, such as an electric blue stretch roll-neck. The colours themselves are taken from a screengrab of a dancehall party, an image which appears on a folded and gathered black T-shirt. This was a beautiful expression of the delicate balance we all face between our heritage and the future we build towards as an individual. 

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Bianca Saunders

Band of Outsiders’ AW20 collection was inspired by childhood memories of trips into the forest with friends. This was a playful yet practical collection, featuring clever layering. Bright colours such as campfire red, canoe yellow, clear sky blue and earthy colours are the essence of this season’s colour palette and we were treated to a nostalgic take on campfire memories, treasure hunts and fairytale forest creatures, all brought to life by artist Egle Zviblyte. Stand out moments were the padded jackets covered in the seasonal bandana print, which was the product of collaboration with London based outerwear brand Lu Mei.

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Band of Outsiders

The AW20 collection by Lou Dalton was a poignant exploration of the textiles from her Father’s Teddy Boy wardrobe, along with her passion for the outdoors and her working-class background. 

Dalton always shows such a both practical and effortlessly stylish take on menswear and the highlights were the heavy knits in crew neck and zip through styles, along with ombre knits in mohair blends, which emphasised the two-tone motif throughout the collection. There were also sportswear moments which added a modern edge to the nostalgic feel of the collection. 

At the heart of this collection are three key collaborations with Gloverall, John Smedley and New Era. As long term collaborators, Gloverall and Smedley continue to use their rich history in outerwear and knitwear to realise Dalton’s vision, while New Era mark the beginning of a mutually beneficial partnership that has produced hats and caps to perfectly complement Dalton’s designs.

Words // Christobelle Batchelor - Fashion Director 

Photos // Lou Dalton