LOVEBIRDS
review by DEBORAH DRENOFCI
India: IYKYK was the fitting name for Lovebird's debut collection at London Fashion Week SS27. More than craftsmanship and garments, this collection was an exploratory introduction to India, the parts of it we don't know, the parts not defined by Western stereotypes. Designers Gursi Singh and Amrita Khanna drew on memory, nostalgia, and their own experience of India, to capture home through the collection.
Singh and Khanna honoured different kinds of craft, chintz among them, the vibrant textile originating from India. Chintz appears in flowy draped skirts, loose jackets and trousers. This part of the collection is a way through the gates of home via a more classic lens. But there's another lens too, a playful one, where vintage Indian photo backdrops become shirts and dresses, where yellow and blue play off each other to build up warmth and fun. Cheerful details run through the graphic pieces, Bollywood posters in high saturation, and a dress printed with back-to-school motifs in a gingham-blue pattern that felt unique and cool.
Ribbons hang loose from the hems, and black paired with bright blue adds an elegant edge. A recurring detail is the belt, placed in unexpected yet intentional ways, wrapped below the waist, or cinched around the bust. The collection plays with shape, volume and layering throughout, puffed here, gathered into soft ruffled masses there, falling loose and sheer elsewhere. A striking debut for this season in London, turning nostalgia into a room of wonder, and easy creativity.
DI PETSA
review by TIANA DE HASETH
Designer Di Petsa highlighted London Fashion Week's Spring Summer 2027 season with her collection Holy Milk. The collection explores the female body and the transition into motherly identity. Known for her signature draped "wet-look" designs, Dimitra Petsa aimed to honor her muses: mothers and her pregnant friends.
The lineup consisted of white draped mesh gowns and bridal dresses that embraced the raw physicality of the pregnant body. Garments were elegantly draped over changing bodies, as some mothers held their babies while walking the runway, one held glasses of milk, and a model walked alongside his mother.
Former Little Mix member Leigh-Anne closed the show in a custom sculptural bra engineered to stream artificial milk from her breasts, symbolizing the end of the transition. The collection beautifully and ethereally symbolized the divine power of motherhood.
LIZA KEANE
review by ZEYNEP YENIÇERI
all images courtesy of LIZA KEANE
Liza Keane's Spring/Summer 2027 show, titled Dispatch, seemed like the aftermath of a catastrophic event. The show started with two models, who were wearing only briefs and masks that covered their faces, carrying spotlights. As they settled into their places, six more followed, carrying what looked like part of a ceiling and settling just below an open tap of water.
Models began strolling down the runway, passing below the tap, letting their hair get just wet enough. The first look was an oversized sweatshirt with angel wings, followed by models in leather looks that seemed to be "keratinised" rather than worn. Models carried the dystopian vibe of the show, with not-so-happy expressions on their faces. It felt like they were going to battle, one with a mask on his face and some others with arrows in their backpacks.
The collection heavily featured clothes that looked like armour, trousers, high boots and coats in leather, as well as distressed dresses and tops. Look 19, however, stood out from the rest. A lighter dress, embroidered and made of sheer fabric, felt like the wedding dress — Liza Keane version. Ending with a model wearing nothing but Brazilian briefs and a white tank top, the show was a journey to a dystopian world.
BURBERRY
review by BEX WHITLEY
all images courtesy of BURBERRY
If there’s a few things guaranteed to be present for Burberry shows, they’re cheque, trench and a front-row of celebrity attendees. Last night, in his eighth show for the house, Daniel Lee once again honoured the brand’s heritage, whilst ensuring to maintain his own creative vision.
This time around, following eight runway shows for the house, Lee chose to bring another creative mind into the fold. Celia Birtwell’s designs ran across the SS27 collection, injecting a sense of joy throughout. The designer, whose prints defined the 1960’s and 970’s, wouldn’t have been an obvious choice with Lee, however it’s this experimental and somewhat contrasting element that offers something refreshing. The inclusion of a multi-coloured face motif and floral prints were strikingly different to the sexiness of the AW26 collection, yet combined with the house’s signature design elements such as epaulettes and buckled cuffs, created something newly playful for the brand.
For Lee, this depiction is “a return to the basis of things. To something instinctive. To something felt. Something true.’ The designs are said to be intentionally imperfect, with evidence of a human hand in the process. Rather than just the visual aspect, the collection aims to become something to evoke memory, with pieces made to feel lived in and be owned for a lifetime.
Such a concept coincides naturally with the house’s momental celebration this year, as the trench coat officially celebrates its 170th birthday. Coinciding with the runway was the opening of their exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, entitled The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon. Here, the history of the signature silhouette is explored, following the evolution from an item born from utility to later become a fashion staple. The role of Thomas Burberry’s contributions, notably his material innovations in 1879, are seemingly key to this evolution.
This more laid back, fluid approach continued within other aspects of the show. Music by the legendary Bowie set the mood of the event, with fun styling additions including eclectic bag charms, 70’s inspired glasses and bold, bright lipsticks. The result was a move away from the darker, moodier feel that the brand has become synonymous with, instead offering a more fun and colourful era.
Guests at Burberry’s front row, and their styling in particular, evidence the feeling that Burberry is aiming to reach an extensive audience. The show, which took place at London’s Chelsea College of art, saw figures from music, sport and film in attendance. Musician Jorja Smith, Actress Fiona Shaw and Model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, each styled leather trench coats, displaying this sense of versatility, where an item can be both wearable and elevated depending on the preference. Central Cee, who has previously modelled for the brand, signified the brand’s influence in the streetwear world, walking on the runway for the first time.
Where a brand like Burberry offers the positive of rich heritage, historical references and a generous archive, this becomes the profound responsibility to create something new each season. To lean on an artist with historic relevance and respect themselves, appears a clever way for Lee to reimagine Burberry, recognising both past and present.