Standing room only at the packed-out Leutton Postle show, where knitwear was whipped into startling shapes and sent down the catwalk to the strident jungle beat of tribal drums. The music and the face masks on the models felt like an eccentric nod to the retro, cartoonish craziness of Crash Bandicoot in the Congo. Pom-poms crowded collage-like onto long cardigans, formulating jigsaw pieces or interwoven Lego bricks. Twin-sets spilled into triples – tops, trousers and coats all saturated with same graphic patterns. Shimmering, effervescent mosaic paneling covered jackets and leggings with the same strong design logic behind the craftsmanship of decorative glazed pottery or sculpture.
Leutton Postle continued the season’s bonkers shoe trend by showcasing embellished fringed mules occasionally haloed in gold tinsel and leg-warmer-galosh hybrid footwear trimmed, of course, with pom-poms. Blue and orange lips and brows gave the models an otherworldly quality, like shaman spirits conjured from some netherworld of fire and ice. Stand-out pieces included appliqué cut-out tunics carpeted with what resembled patchwork rustling leaves, or Crystal Maze booty of gold and silver tickets flapping wildly in a wind machine. The glitter of bronzes and metallic blues were reined in by autumnal hues of marmalade, fawn, mustard, maroon and dusky ochre. Another highlight was the dénouement dress, knitted in looping, sprawling scribbles – like collapsed crazy paving or a spool of wool that had run away from the needles – that still managed an aura of 1920’s elegance. Accessories were sparse but not tokenistic. A lamé clutch was strapped nonchalantly to the waist, decorative and hands-free, cleverly revoking its purpose as an object to be held. Sparkly takes on carpet bags, too, were brandished like talismans. The young female design pair behind Leutton Postle are going from strength to strength. And, as the arresting leitmotif of faces and eyes that ran through their collection proved, they are ready to step up and be scrutinized.
Words by Jessica Clifton
Image via thefashionscout
No comments