Mary Katrantzou AW16

All eyes were fixed on Vogue Fashion Fund winner for AW16. Mary took her show back to her roots, setting up showcase in her place of study, Central St Martins. Exposed brickwork lined the show space and a metallic fabric reminiscent of kitchen foil covered the floor, while a large bundle of metallic balloons crafting the entrance of the catwalk. 

Whereas her SS16 collection looked to the future, this season was focused on nostalgia and past memories. Katrantzou drew inspiration from her abiding young love of dressing up, in particular as a rodeo cowboy and a ballerina.

The collection quickly kicked off with a heavy dose of tweed. Duster coats and boxy jackets crafted from the print were teamed with matching riding pants or pencil skirts and the seemingly muted colour palette was quickly updated in true Mary Katrantzou style as shoulders and hems were adorned with vibrant flames or a star print appliqué. 

Exaggerated 50s collars and western-style swirls decorated the necklines of cocktail dresses, while the lower half was finished with girlie playful prints, polkadots and kitsch love-hearts. 

The brands immediately recognisable touches of signature psychedelic clash and digital print techniques were out in full. Butterflies, hearts and horses fed from the seams of pieces, printed onto leather, tulle and wool. 

A mixing pot of fabrics and textures, mesh fed into the collection, covering skin in cut-out shaped panels, while leather in hues of aubergine, deep red and black was tooled and teamed with another, softer finished leather. An interesting juxtaposition themes which worked well to create a feminine, flattering silhouette. The harsh rodeo shapes were finished with Swarovski embellishments or with a tulle or fur printed stole, draped around models shoulders. Accessories also played a big part of the collection, heads were dressed with printed silk headscarves while heeled mary-jane shoes printed in clashed in a leopard or snake print.