Amelia’s Magazine | Ashley Isham: London Fashion Week S/S 2014 Catwalk Review

Ashley Isham S/S 2014 by Laura Hickman

I brandished a ‘priority’ ticket at Ashley Isham‘s show on Saturday, shamefully secure as I stood in the queue that I was assured a top seat. As chaos descended outside, though, it soon became clear that being escorted to my seat by my arm like a debutante was looking unlikely. I rapidly gave up on any hope of resting my derriere inside, instead opting for a decent standing spot. As we waited for the show to begin, I nosily read a girl’s text messages to pass the time. ‘I’m third row, it’s RIDICULOUS!’ she exclaimed, by SMS, to pretty much everybody stored in her iPhone 5.

All photography by Matt Bramford

It was pretty easy to see what all the fuss was about as the show began. This ‘Belle du Jour‘ collection was as sophisticated and polished as any I’ve seen. Luxury fabrics in pale blue formed the opening pieces, presented as short dresses and tapered trousers. Shift dresses in pastel colours demonstrated Isham’s commercial viability, while plastic jackets with floral edges added a futuristic dimension to the collection. These appeared in electric blue and black and were my favourite pieces. Hats by House of Flora covered models faces, only revealing eyes with laser cut mask shapes filled in with netting.

Ashley Isham S/S 2014 by Ozlem Djafer

There were a couple of slightly obscure pieces: a casual grey top teamed with ill-fitting white trousers didn’t belong, but were quickly forgotten with the finale pieces – Isham’s glamorous red carpet-ready dresses. Sweetheart necklines, fishtail hems, couture worthy embellishment and embroidery and elongated trains will secure even more fashionable followers.