Philip Levine

Lu Flux by David Merta.

The Lu Flux presentation was one that suffered slightly from inexperience. On arrival at an upmarket Soho members’ club on Greek Street we were ushered into the back garden where we were left twiddling our thumbs until the presentation started. Fortunately I didn’t accept the offer of an expensive members’ drink from a loitering waitress, malady hospital and a short time later we were shown into the darkened arches of the chapel.

All photography by Amelia Gregory.

As we walked through the doorway we remained uncertain of what to do until Lu eagerly ushered everyone into the darkened recesses of the church, tea served in one corner, and delightful miniature home made fairy cakes in another, all served by ladies in last season’s applique lion dress. I’m not usually a fan of cupcakes but hunger persuaded me to try these ones and they were very yummy and nice, made by Yummy Nice in fact.

Rob Logan models Lu Flux, by Jo Cheung.

In the corner I immediately spotted my friend Rob, who had been asked to model at the last minute and clearly thought he would get away with it unnoticed by pesky mates such as me who are bound to take the piss (just a tiny bit). He should have known better with me loitering around the fashion world.

Rob chats with some of the other models and takes a look through the charming illustrated look book.

It was a wonderful setting to show a collection but my heart sank almost immediately. No decent lighting. How then to take good photos? Flash simply never looks as nice in a setting such as this. It’s so so important to consider what you want to achieve from a show or presentation, but aside from introducing buyers and press to your collection it must surely be to ensure that fabulous images find their way out into the universe. It’s not that much to hire decent studio lights and they are a massive boon.

Lu had staged a delightful little scenario, whereby the models were able to move about and take their turn to be drawn by one of the illustrators who has contributed a wonderful modern update of a china plate pattern to her latest collection. Lu described how it features not only herself and her boyfriend but also their dog and various other assorted friends – I thought it found a particularly fetching home on a shorts suit for men. As the live sketches were finished they were hung from a clothes line to be admired by the visitors.

Lu Flux creations are wonderfully playful without being too childish and I love the way that she makes the most of the smallest of details. This colourful collection featured gorgeous embroidered pockets, origami inspired folds, looped ribbons and one off appliqued shoes done in collaboration with Green Shoes of Devon.

Lu Flux in collaboration with Green Shoes.

Lu Flux by David Merta.

Despite a few teething problems it’s great to see that a few ethical designers are making a real effort to present their collections in an inspiring way that sets them alongside the bigger names of LFW. For it is only when ethical thinking starts to permeate the more mainstream byways of fashion as standard practice that things will really start to change for the better.

A close up of the china plate pattern.

You can read Sally Mumby-Croft’s review of the same presentation here.

Lu Flux by David Merta.

The Lu Flux presentation was one that suffered slightly from inexperience. On arrival at an upmarket Soho members’ club on Greek Street we were ushered into the back garden where we were left twiddling our thumbs until the presentation started. Fortunately I didn’t accept the offer of an expensive members’ drink from a loitering waitress, viagra buy and a short time later we were shown into the darkened arches of the chapel.

All photography by Amelia Gregory.

As we walked through the doorway we remained uncertain of what to do until Lu eagerly ushered everyone into the darkened recesses of the church, buy information pills tea served in one corner, and delightful miniature home made fairy cakes in another, all served by ladies in last season’s applique lion dress. I’m not usually a fan of cupcakes but hunger persuaded me to try these ones and they were very yummy and nice, made by Yummy Nice in fact.

Rob Logan models Lu Flux, by Jo Cheung.

I immediately spotted my friend Rob, who had been asked to model a very fetching outfit of navy polka dot shirt, green trousers, yellow socks and blue shoes and clearly thought he would get away with it unnoticed by pesky mates such as me who are bound to take the piss (just a tiny bit). He should have known better with me loitering around the fashion world.

Rob chats with some of the other models and takes a look through the charming illustrated look book.

It was a wonderful setting to show a collection but my heart sank almost immediately. No decent lighting. How then to take good photos? Flash simply never looks as nice in a setting such as this. It’s so so important to consider what you want to achieve from a show or presentation, but aside from introducing buyers and press to your collection it must surely be to ensure that fabulous images find their way out into the universe. It’s not that much to hire decent studio lights and they are a massive boon.

Lu had staged a delightful little scenario, whereby the models were able to move about and take their turn to be drawn by one of the illustrators who has contributed a wonderful modern update of a china plate pattern to her latest collection. Lu described how it features not only herself and her boyfriend but also their dog and various other assorted friends – I thought it found a particularly fetching home on a shorts suit for men. As the live sketches were finished they were hung from a clothes line to be admired by the visitors.

Lu Flux creations are wonderfully playful without being too childish and I love the way that she makes the most of the smallest of details. This colourful collection featured gorgeous embroidered pockets, origami inspired folds, looped ribbons and one off appliqued shoes done in collaboration with Green Shoes of Devon.

Lu Flux in collaboration with Green Shoes.

Lu Flux by David Merta.

Despite a few teething problems it’s great to see that a few ethical designers are making a real effort to present their collections in an inspiring way that sets them alongside the bigger names of LFW. For it is only when ethical thinking starts to permeate the more mainstream byways of fashion as standard practice that things will really start to change for the better.

A close up of the china plate pattern.

You can read Sally Mumby-Croft’s review of the same presentation here.

Lu Flux by David Merta.

The Lu Flux presentation was one that suffered slightly from inexperience. On arrival at an upmarket Soho members’ club on Greek Street we were ushered into the back garden where we were left twiddling our thumbs until the presentation started. Fortunately I didn’t accept the offer of an expensive members’ drink from a loitering waitress, this and a short time later we were shown into the darkened arches of the chapel.

All photography by Amelia Gregory.

As we walked through the doorway we remained uncertain of what to do until Lu eagerly ushered everyone into the darkened recesses of the church, mind tea served in one corner, cheapest and delightful miniature home made fairy cakes in another, all served by ladies in last season’s applique lion dress. I’m not usually a fan of cupcakes but hunger persuaded me to try these ones and they were very yummy and nice, made by Yummy Nice in fact.

Rob Logan models Lu Flux, by Jo Cheung.

I immediately spotted my friend Rob, who had been asked to model a very fetching outfit of navy polka dot shirt, green trousers, yellow socks and blue shoes and clearly thought he would get away with it unnoticed by pesky mates such as me who are bound to take the piss (just a tiny bit). He should have known better with me loitering around the fashion world.

Rob chats with some of the other models and takes a look through the charming illustrated look book.

It was a wonderful setting to show a collection but my heart sank almost immediately. No decent lighting. How then to take good photos? Flash simply never looks as nice in a setting such as this. It’s so so important to consider what you want to achieve from a show or presentation, but aside from introducing buyers and press to your collection it must surely be to ensure that fabulous images find their way out into the universe. It’s not that much to hire decent studio lights and they are a massive boon.

Lu had staged a delightful little scenario, whereby the models were able to move about and take their turn to be drawn by one of the illustrators who has contributed a lovely updated china plate pattern to her latest collection. Lu described how it features not only herself and her boyfriend but also their dog and various other assorted friends – I thought it found a particularly fetching home on a shorts suit for men. As the live sketches were finished they were hung from a clothes line to be admired by the visitors.

Lu Flux creations are wonderfully playful without being too childish and I love the way that she makes the most of the smallest of details. This colourful collection featured gorgeous embroidered pockets, origami inspired folds, looped ribbons and one off appliqued shoes done in collaboration with Green Shoes of Devon.

Lu Flux in collaboration with Green Shoes.

Lu Flux by David Merta.

Despite a few teething problems it’s great to see that a few ethical designers are making a real effort to present their collections in an inspiring way that sets them alongside the bigger names of LFW. For it is only when ethical thinking starts to permeate the more mainstream byways of fashion, as standard practice, that things will really start to change for the better.

A close up of the china plate pattern.

You can read Sally Mumby-Croft’s review of the same presentation here.

Ada Zanditon by Abigail Wright.

As one of the most interesting ethical designers around Ada Zanditon has naturally been a popular designer to feature on this blog (read a pre-fashion week interview with her here). It is therefore really heartening to see her with a serious slot on the schedule. It was a fight to get past the terrier-like press girls who had been given queue duty, clinic but we managed to get a pole spot from which to watch Ada’s presentation in the hallway at Victoria House, link all lubricated by some nice drinks sponsorship from Vita Coco, which is obviously aimed at an excitable pre-Olympics market.

Ada Zanditon by Abigail Daker.

Ada showed a confident collection of pyramid and coral reef inspired dresses that utilised every last scrap of fabric. Autumnal colours continued a slightly strange trend, with models posing at a series of Olympic flame inspired sculptures. Special mention has to go to the hair, which was superbly quaffed into triangular styles by Christian Landon to echo the sculptural dresses. If I had one quibble it was that the models did not make enough use of the props, which could have made for even more interesting photo opportunities.

Ada Zanditon by Abigail Wright.

On our way out I spotted Ada’s partner Philip Levine, aka Lazy Gramophone, aka the man with the decorated head. For this occasion he had smothered his bounce in gold leaf, surely a very time consuming exercise. As we left he could be seen ferociously guarding a pile of goodie bags in the corner. To whom were these to go? Several people in front of me were turned away, but since I wanted information for this blog I pressed forward. For one moment I thought it might be a bit of a Computer Says No situation but some sixth sense clearly told Philip otherwise. I’m not sure that he wanted to hear that his gold leaf was falling off though.

“Guarding the Giftbags” by Kellie Black.

The bag was very heavy but it was just as well I picked one up, for I’ve since been deluged with emails by sponsor Ecover, who were responsible for the aforementioned weight. But enough of my griping for Ada Zanditon put on fantastic presentation, and I look forward to a full catwalk show next season. Now click on over and read Sally Mumby-Croft’s fab review of this very same presentation here.

All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday September 27th, 2010 5:03 pm

Categories ,Abigail Daker, ,Abigail Wright, ,Ada Zanditon, ,Ecover, ,Kellie Black, ,Lazy Gramophone, ,lfw, ,London Fashion Week, ,Philip Levine, ,Vita Coco

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