Oxford Fashion Studio entered the seams of LFW with a goal: to provide a deserving platform to international designers. It’s been a decade since then, and in an aim to heighten that same platform, with a specific gear towards “concept and art-led designers”, this year marked the birth of their new programme OFS Lab. Fittingly held at Devonshire Square in Shoreditch, an area so heavily associated with the style of the future, it was the perfect venue to showcase four talents who are rich in ideas.
Andrew Mogrelia’s “The Sleeping Beauty” serenaded the square as Chenchen Studio began their Waveform collection in an unlikely manner: a ballet performance, which definitely softened the blow of the late show. Exploring “sculptural silhouettes that transform the body through bold shapes and curved lines” — you could easily see Dover Street Market grabbing up the collection. Chenchen began her journey at UAL’s prestigious London College of Fashion, and with her attention to sleek detail and movement, no doubt she’ll keep dominating catwalks for years to come. The best part? The final, final walkthrough, where the ballerinas re-emerged shooting money guns filled with £50 vouchers to their web store. Chenchen Studio know how to design, but they also know how to market.
Originating from Albania but now based in Mumbai, Elsa Nilaj followed, with a masterclass in construction. Dexterity was in the details — her designs consisted of almost all-black looks, but a closer eye revealed intricate cross-stitching and meticulous embroidery. Like the attendees’ faces when the show didn’t start on time, the looks became progressively darker, and it wasn’t long before models’ upper halves became fascinatingly engulfed by exaggerated collars or accentuated sleeves.
With new faces come old faces: Hellavagirl returned to OFS with a bang — a model disguised as an attendee took centre stage, ripping off an iridescent overcoat to reveal a sleek white bodysuit to kick off the collection. Entitled The Discovery of Mr Nobody, it was of particular importance for the UK based couture house, who showed at Oxford Fashion Studios’ inaugural show a decade ago. Inspired by church iconography and psychological ink-blot testing, the collection was by far the weirdest — and in LFW terms, that’s the ticket. It’s a miracle that no model tripped over their Burj Khalifa sized heels. Bravo!
Next in Fashion’s Megan O’Cain closed the ceremony with her Keepsake collection — a tribute to nostalgia and qualities that evoke it. Camp was in full swing: velour and velvet, keychains for bracelets, trophies and toy dogs for props, eccentric runway walks — many an ‘awh’ was uttered by the audience. It was playful in the highest regard, and during the ending walkthrough, the models began to emote on stage, closing out a very successful — perhaps the most successful — Oxford Fashion Studios show.
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Words: Rory Fainaru
Photography: Sophie Vaughan