Pedro Lourenço Womenswear A/W12

It was a refreshing turn to see Pedro Lourenço focus on an idea without getting too distracted by embellishment or overloaded with pushing the silhouette too far, which is exactly what he did with his latest collection. "I had this idea of mixing the countryside with the apocalyptic feeling of a city," explained Lourenço after the show. Therefore the open ended road curves of a map would appear on precise collaged dresses, pitting wool, metallic organza and patent together in highly graphic coats and dresses that felt like an abstracted vision of country vs. city.

I had this idea of mixing the countryside with the apocalyptic feeling of a city

The ever pervasive puffer coat and fur-fronted jackets strengthen this season's overriding need for protective elements, be it quilted down or mink. Lourenço said that the shapes were vaguely 80s inspired but with a background note of 60s haute couture as some of the dresses have a Courrèges vibe to them. When we begin to see a passage of digital print play out on sheath dresses and coats, paired with panelled thigh-split skirts are introduced, the contradiction between the wilds of the countryside and the bleak city is made much clearer. Working with the New York-based Russian artist Konstantin Trubkovich, they distorted images of horses and plaids on a TV screen with white noise interruption to create grainy images that are less photographic than Lourenço’s previous print efforts as seen in his tropical resort 2012 collection.

"They’re abstract – it’s more about adding a texture and movement rather than a real print." A galloping horse across a dress will remind people of several other notable equestrian/horse-themed collections but Lourenço added a darker slant to the motif. Trubkovich’s contribution of white noise printed on a long coat also cleverly looks like a different texture play on nubbly grey tweed. These are smart flickers of Lourenço’s process of refining his aesthetic, finding out what he wants to say as a designer.