It may be only February but it’s already been a big year for the London-based fashion designer Roksanda Ilinčić. At the beginning of the month she was presented with an MBE from Princess Anne for her services to fashion while this week the Hollywood star Zendaya gave a sneak peek of Ilinčić’s latest collection when she wore a tailored look not fresh off the catwalk but, as her stylist Law Roach put it, “before the runway”.
On Saturday the rest of the collection was unveiled during a catwalk show held at Tate Britain on day two of London fashion week. Zendaya’s layered look consisting of an aubergine-coloured blazer with matching midi dress and trousers opened the show.
“It’s really interesting for the fashion world because obviously everything is kept secret and we wait for a big reveal on the day of the show, but I don’t think that anything can eclipse Zendaya wearing it – it was a very special moment,” Ilinčić told Vogue.
While last year’s clothes were inspired by the medieval monasteries of her home town in Serbia, this time around it was a visit to the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier’s 12-square-foot holiday cabin in the south of France – with just enough space for a bed, a table and a loo hidden behind a curtain – that set the tone. Ilinčić was captivated by the giant murals he had painted in the entrance hall.
With what Ilinčić described as “extreme experimentation”, she played with texture, landing on a series of woven tapestry fabrics that she used on sleeveless tops, ankle-length skirts and one floor-grazing cape that took more than 200 hours of design to make. Giant bustier dresses featuring huge exposed zippers were inspired by the crashing waves and sunlight glimpsed from a window of Corbusier’s cabin.
Many of the pieces looked as if they had been draped around the body while threads left hanging loose added a sense of undone luxury. Ilinčić described it as “a very versatile collection”, highlighting that every piece could be layered together or worn separately – a design feature for many designers that is becoming key for customers to justify higher price-point purchases.
Layering was also a central theme at Molly Goddard, who held her show at Cecil Sharp House, an English folk music venue near Regent’s Park. There were plenty of cultural crossovers on the catwalk including a mishmash of fairytale tulle skirts and cowgirl dresses. Goddard said much of the inspiration had come from her eBay watchlist, which – Goddard having just had her second baby – now mainly consists of childrenswear. “It’s all mini cowgirls and niche brands like Oilily and Naf Naf,” she said
The theme also played into the styling, echoing a child playing dress-up in their parents’ wardrobe. Oversized jumpers were layered over frothy dresses in lavender and russet. Some dresses were made from three different fabrics varying in tone or texture; others were made of multiple pieces subtly layered over one another. “When you pull them apart they are more wearable,” said Goddard. “They can do many things.”
