Prize for the biggest budget this London Fashion Week — or indeed, this whole fashion month — undoubtedly goes to Moncler, who opened the doors to Olympia London, Kensington, to a staggering 10,000 guests last night.
The mammoth event was held in celebration of their Genius line, which sees the brand known for its puffer jackets produce collaborative collections by guest designers. Each external label had a budget to create its own pop-up in the space.
Joining the likes of Pharrell, Hailey and Justin Bieber, Naomi Campbell and Marcus Rashord, were members of the public who snaked through West London queuing to get a glimpse of a fashion week presentation on steroids.
On arrival, all guests entered the vast hall transformed into a Blade Runner-style universe. Like Toyko’s Akihabara gaming district, huge screens showed advertisements for each capsule collection.
Adidas had models stood like mannequins in down-filled puffer coats, gilets and elbow-length gloves with their trademark triple stripes in three tier-scaffolding. Streetwear label Palm Angels had a foam party in a perspex box, where attendees could don branded white lab coats and dance. FRGMT’s offering came in a latex curtained room, where people in drawstring duffel coats played with mini-robots wearing micro duvet coats. And in Salhe Bembur’s room, models in gorp-core athleisure played in a post-apocalyptic sandpit, with a figure of Mars spinning in the centre. It was as perplexing as it sounds — like walking into the Metaverse, or a sci-fi video game.
In the main space, the champion was an oversized four-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz complete with Moncler puffer coat inspired silver wheels and roof. It span in front of starlight projections as silver dancers contorted in the air on wires.
At 10:30pm, Alicia Keys stepped onto the stage of a vaulted room where fans piled in to see her sings hits This Girl Is On Fire and New York. She collaborated with Moncler herself, and performed in the metallic trench coat and flares she helped design. Joining her on stage were singers Little Simz and Cleo Sol.
Afterwards, the gaggle fighting to get inside was as impassioned as those when it started at 8pm. Rick Owens, who presented his recognisable long-trained silhouette gowns with the addition of bulging coats in a smoky rave room, was hosting an after party. Hundreds of London’s art school students were hustling to get involved.
