Jonathan Saunders AW14

Initial reaction:

A dressed-up DIY aesthetic and a make do and mend approach: big, roomy coats and delicate bias-cut dresses were covered in patchwork placements and asymmetrical bands of colour.

References:

A couple of days before the show, Saunders tweeted a teaser picture of static on an old TV screen which turned out to not only be the set (where TVs flickering with static were stacked high) but also a leitmotif for the collection, translated into glittery surfaces. As the show progressed, it was clear that the collection inhabited a pre-digital, lo-fi place, but while it was nostalgic in its use of patch details and homespun knits, it also seemed like strange new territory in its complex play on textiles and ‘off’ colours.  

Elegant destruction:

Taking in the randomly placed patchwork squares, the looks felt like they’d been put back together from beautiful scraps of discarded material. The asymmetric hemline of a slinky checkerboard dress also evoked an idea of something elegantly unfinished.

Mood:

With their eyes painted a sickly-pretty pink, the girls walked through the grand halls of the Tate Britain to a drowsy, ambient drone soundtrack where the word ‘danger’ was repeated over and over and to the tones of Laurie Anderson’s “O Superman”.

Extras:

Wrong yet very right brown and grey granny tights worn with electric blue or baby pink glittery Christian Louboutin pointy lace-up booties or flats – an austere, war-time-y vibe meets full-on Dorothy disco mode.  

Models: Sabrina Ioffreda, Ysaunny Brito (@Ysaunny_Brito), Meghan Collison (@meghancollison), Annemijn Dijs (@annemijndijs), Ewa Wladymiruk (@EwaWladymiruk), Constanza Saravia (@constanzasaravia), Mariah Morrison (@mariahmo7), Katia Selinger (@katiaselinger), Annemijn Dijs (@annemijndijs), Gabby Westbrook-Patrick, Maja Salamon, Kasia Jujeczka (@kasiajujeczka), Mariana Santana (@mariaanasantana)