Richard Malone, Vivienne Westwood and Matty Bovan
all showed their collections in London this past Valentine’s Day. They’re also all commited to creating in a way that doesn’t hurt people or the planet. Other than that, they’re very different designers but we’ve found something to love in all their collections. Here’s our quick take.
Richard Malone
We know a good ruching when we see it, and it was all over Richard Malone’s runway. His clothes have sophisticated sex appeal and a rich color palette filled with varying shades of blue, a deep aubergine and autumnal rust that comes from using only organic dyes. Fun fact: he doesn’t use black dye because there isn’t any that’s organic. Something that’s non-negotiable when you describe your supply chain as “farm to fabric and then back to soil again.” We’re a fan of this Irishman.
Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood is the punky pioneer of conscious collections and staying true to her roots had the plaid on plaid and classic black we associate with the rebel ethos. Her overtly political statements (i.e. this year there was an audio recording of her saying “I want to work with Extinction Rebellion and have Julian Assange freed) aren’t directly translated to the collection but her ongoing approach to making things is a statement in and of itself.
And sidenote: Her book Get A Life, from 2016 is still very relevant and well worth a read.
Matty Bovan
Matty Bovan’s show had a little bit of the ‘80s Pretty in Pink vibe. Many of the designs, which were made with things like upcycled Fiorucci denim (a popular brand back then) and decorated with Swarovski crystals, looked like they were dreamt up by a hardcore thrifter. There were so many textures –including his signature knits that I had a strong tactile desire to touch them myself. Perhaps that’s why Stephen Jones provided his face framing curtains: to keep us all at a distance.
