MARY KATRANTZOU
Fashion and drama go hand-in-hand. Personally I love a bit of drama. In life it adds unpredictability and at a catwalk show it creates an emotional response to the collection. A little flare and chaos helps to keep life interesting.
The Mary Katrantzou show had drama in abundance.
At the time that I headed to the show venue I was feeling rather fragile. Just beforehand I got mega lost. Luckily I had arranged a car service with the help of the Amex Insiders. So instead of me wandering around in circles someone came and picked me up and took me over to the show. Thank God, otherwise I never would have made it. Traffic was crazy and I was feeling panicked that I wouldn't make it on time. Drama drama. Thankfully my driver was a saint and zoomed across town taking all sorts of shortcuts. He was an old bonafide east London native and we had a heart-to-heart about London being the best city in the world. I arrived at the location with plenty of time to spare, with a heart that was warm and glowing. Major transformation to when he picked me up and I was nearly in tears.
Just before the show began smoke started oozing out of the ceiling and a burning smell wafted through the air. It wasn't anything serious and the show started straight afterwards. But there's nothing like a bit of danger to get everyone on the edge of their seat.
The collection, as you'd likely guess, was breathtaking. It was so unlike anything Mary has done before. The fit was loose and billowy instead of curved and constructed. The colour palette was muted and soft rather than bright and bold. The pieces were really wearable and easy to relate to. There were pleats, sweatshirts, suits and even a classic navy peacoat (#want). There was embellishment in spades. At one point the models were making clinking and clattering noises with each step that they took.
To me, it felt like Mary had really matured with this collection. It wasn't showy or over the top. Some of the past seasons have felt as though she was trying to make a statement, to do something bold and original. With this collection, it didn't feel as though she was trying at all. Everything was paired back and reserved: which, coincidentally, made the biggest statement of all.
Photos by The Style Crusader.
