Ann Sofie Back London Fashion Week Spring 2009
byaradia-crockett
I must say on first inspection I was somewhat disappointed by Ann Sofie Back’s collection. However having read her intentions, it makes more sense. Continuing from last season’s investigation of celebrity culture-she used plastic surgery and liposuction as an unlikely point of reference. Eyebrows made up to look like post surgical stitches, t shirts with outlines of procedures to be undergone on what ever unfortunate patient was that image obsessed. A series of disco dresses are cut and stretched to resemble the processes involved in a face-lift, while clasps are based on the staples used to hold the skin in place after surgery. Using the sombre colour palette of white, cream, taupe and black accentuated with mint, pistachio and ice cream yellow – plain silks and satins were interspersed with a number of prints. Oversized Manish tailored jackets were among my favourite pieces, nipped in at the waist by skinny leather belts. A bolero jacket in a silk and wool mix was teamed with Capri pants to create a modern take on the suit.
Back is another designer focused largely around a message to be drawn from her clothing, which I both respect and admire. She looks at issues surrounding the fashion industry – the image obsessed culture that we live and breathe, and challenges the ideals of fashion itself. I do, however feel that Back focuses too heavily on the message and less on designing a strong or wearable collection.
published September 15th, 2008