When you know a designer is going to do a presentation as opposed to a runway show; it usually isn't that eventful. London Fashion Week has proven me wrong. Steinmetz had her models reclined in giant cubbyholes in the walls, lit with blue light. The effect was like seeing an exhibit of living mermaids in their aquarium. The models' faces were made up in various shades of unearthly blue with body glitter over all different body parts.The clothing itself had tailored dark indigo denim separates, printed jackets, hand woven, dyed ombre piece. There were embroidered pieces or fringed. The entire collection served to make you think of denim differently.
To add to the captured mermaid theme, some models wore jewelry and shoes that looked like they were embedded into rock with quartz crystals jutting out of it. These were clearly more for styling and artistic expression than for practical wearing, but they were striking nonetheless.
This presentation was at the Old Spitalfields Market, a historical market dating back to the 1880s. It now houses designer boutiques, vintage flea market, indie designer pop-ups and gourmet food stalls in East London. This venue was also home to the up-and-coming fashion designers of London Fashion Week. It seemed to be the British equivalent of the Milk Studios space at NYFW.
Congratulations Faustine Steinmetz on your innovative exhibit. You managed to make me rethink both the fashion presentation format AND denim as a fashion category at the same time. Good luck!
