From Charles Jeffrey’s ‘Solasta’ showcase at Vogue Fabrics, to Di Petsa’s latest exploration of female wetness, ‘Self Birth’
In case you missed it, this weekend saw the first ever digital London Fashion Week take place. Launching a brand new online hub, the British Fashion Council invited a host of designers to get creative when it came to conveying their latest work and what they’d been up to since we last saw them back in January.
For some, this meant in-depth talks on the industry and how it should change in the future, while for others it gave them the opportunity to work in new mediums, as they put out short films, animations, and more.
With the likes of Sinéad O’Dwyer, Nicholas Daley, Per Götesson, and JordanLuca also on the line-up, here, we’ve rounded up just a few of the must-see URL presentations that took place, from Dazed 100-ers old and new, Duran Lantink and Di Petsa, as well as Charles Jeffrey, who took over Vogue Fabrics with a showcase celebrating BIPOC creatives.
CHARLES JEFFREY: SOLASTA
Going back to where Loverboy all began, the Scottish designer hosted an intimate showcase in the basement of East London’s underground landmark Vogue Fabrics on Saturday night. Originally intent on streaming a live party, with a sneak preview of a new capsule collection, instead, given the Black Lives Matter uprising happening around the world, he chose to shift the focus of the presentation and hand it over to a line-up of BIPOC performers and artists. Hosted by the inimitable Miss Jason, Solasta saw performances from dancer and choreographer Malik Nashad Sharpe and singer Rachel Chinouriri, videos from new fashion graduates (and Jeffrey’s former Uni of Westminster students) Catherine Hudson and Halina Edwards, and an appearance from former Dazed 100-er Kai-Isaiah Jamal. Watch above and donate to Jeffrey’s fundraiser for Black Pride here.
DI PETSA: SELF BIRTH
Dazed 100 designer Dimitra Petsa (aka Di Petsa) presented a poignant new film named Self Birth, which explores intimacy, connection, self love, and healing, as well as water as a vital force for life. Following on from her AW20 performance at London Fashion Week in February, the short, which was shot on an extremely beautiful beach in Greece, sees Petsa join forces with musician Xtos to create a unique soundscape which a group of socially-distancing models move amid the ocean waves. Also showcasing pieces from the label’s latest collection – all of which is created locally using vintage and deadstock fabric by women-owned manufacturers – this season sees its ‘breastfeeding corset’ reimagined and the introduction of a new swimwear offering.
DURAN LANTINK: ANGEL HO
Having first worked with Angel-Ho on 2019 project Sistaaz of the Castle, Dazed 100 designer Duran Lantink invited the multi-disciplinary artist to take over his London Fashion Week slot after their European tour was cancelled due to… well, what else? The coronavirus. Using the platform to spotlight two rising talents from South Africa – creative director and photographer Haneem Christian, whose work centres on the representation of Cape Town’s Black LGBTQ+ community, and musician River Moon – the result is a short video which takes Lantink’s work from IRL to the digital realm. The group also directed viewers to various charities and initiatives, encouraging them to make donations to the Sweat sex worker relief fund and the Black Visions Collective, among others.