Organizing and executing a fashion show poses an expensive challenge for independent designers striving to make ends meet. This reality became apparent during London Fashion Week, where brands like Chopova Lowena, Supriya Lele, and Talia Byre chose to forgo the runway this season to navigate their financial constraints. Even seasoned designer Matty Bovan shifted to a digital showcase for his fall collection. Despite his fondness for putting together compelling live spectacles, Bovan discovered the process of crafting a digital presentation to be equally rewarding. He augmented it with a self-penned poem and self-directed film, enriching the overall experience.
Last season, Bovan delved into Americana themes, pushing prom silhouettes to extremes, but for fall he shifted focus to his British roots. Here, traditional English textures and historical references took on a chaotic, macabre twist—all within the signature avant-garde, sculpture-like designs that have defined his work over the past 15 seasons. Reflecting on his inspiration, Bovan said during a preview: “I come from Yorkshire, surrounded by the English landscape. Yet, my fascination with portraiture from Tudor and Elizabethan eras has persisted since I was a child. This collection is an amalgamation of ancient tropes presented in a futuristic way, where sculptural shapes organically envelop the body.”
At the heart of the collection lies a focus on tweed, particularly sourced from off-cuts provided by Linton Tweeds, a textile mill in Carlisle. Noteworthy pieces showcase an eclectic mix of frayed-edge tweeds, artfully fused together to achieve volume. Take, for example, the opening look—a blend of monochromatic houndstooth fabrics swallowing the neckline, featuring a pannier reminiscent of historical attire, yet presented in a miniskirt format. A deconstructed skirt suit motif, composed of panels pieced together to form a mound, offered an offbeat interpretation of chicness. Pleated, multi-colored deadstock fabrics were juxtaposed with crocheted tweed, while a commercially viable option included a hoodie crafted from boiled gold crushed velour and crocheted tweed. A standout tapestry jacket, ornate and intricately detailed, epitomized Bovan’s jarring aesthetic—a blend of brilliance and challenge through an extreme lexicon of color combinations.
For the film and lookbook imagery, shot at the historic Burton Agnes Hall in the East Riding of Yorkshire—where Bovan also served as his own model—it might seem that he was drawing from historical narratives. However, he clarified: “My creative process is entirely driven by emotion, so my narratives tend to be more abstract than one might expect. I envisioned each look as a character within a manor, with the house itself taking on a persona, rejecting each inhabitant. Each individual is somewhat trapped, resigned to their confinement within the walls.”
Bovan demonstrated that designers can create a profoundly impactful collection, infused with personal narratives that transcend conventional understanding, without conforming to the standard structure of fashion show schedules. In this case, though, a static museum-like setting could be vital for each piece to be fully appreciated in the flesh.
Source link
