Flik Hall S/S 2012 by Milly Jackson.
Flik Hall is becoming a bit of a regular here at Amelia’s, and is it any wonder when the Central Saint Martins graduate continues to deliver covetable collections season after season? Speaking with Amelia’s earlier this year, she enlightened us on her past work with fashion heavyweights House of Holland and Giles Deacon; almost one year on and their influence and handed-down expertise is beginning to shine through more and more.
Flik Hall S/S 2012 by Milly Jackson.
Flik Hall dubbed herself a novice back then, but with three successful London Fashion Week seasons under her belt, she could have quite easily fooled me otherwise. Since then, print-enthusiast Flik has gone on to create two more delectable collections, continuing to incorporate her love for printed leather and structured silhouettes. The latest collection sees a new direction from the London-based designer, and I was lucky enough to see, hear and learn a little bit more about the creative process behind such bold and imaginative designs.
I first clapped eyes on the new collection earlier this month at the Rendez-Vous Femme trade show in Paris, where Flik Hall was successful in ruffling a few Parisian fashion feathers with her experimental vision. Amongst the vast number of exhibitors, not to mention the throngs of buyers, journalists and trend reporters, there was one corner of the room that instantly caught my eye. Flik’s designs are the definition of innovative. Whilst many designers stick to a time-honoured formula resulting in them fading into a background of summery floral prints and tassels, Flik Hall’s ever-developing penchant for experimentation earns her some serious print-infused brownie points for S/S 2012.
Back in London, the press event for next season’s collection was held at the uber-cool Vyner Street Gallery: an underground platform for emerging talent nestled in the depths of Hackney and the heart of Londons contemporary art district. Walking into the gallery space was like entering into Flik Hall’s world: a world of mythical fantasy. Accompanied by an eerie soundtrack, a short spellbinding film directed by artist Ashley Joiner was projected across the back wall, whilst the clothes on show delivered a sense of femininity juxtaposed with a strong, dynamic edge.
The small, intimate space had a very personal feel to it, and it was a real pleasure to meet Flik Hall, who revealed to me that she didn’t always want to be a fashion designer, ‘I used to want to be an artist when I was younger,’ she disclosed. ‘But my designs always seemed to naturally fall around the figure, so it all eventually transpired into fashion.’ And is it any wonder? With her choice of ethereal colour tones and that trademark use of eye-catching prints, the collection was successful in capturing my attention all over again.
S/S 2012 takes its inspiration from the deep blue sea as Flik Hall looks to the texture and intricate detailing of octopi skin for direction. Never one to shy away from experimentation, it is this imagery that makes up the signature print within the collection incorporating close-up screen prints of octopus skin and tentacles transferred onto soft leather pieces. ‘I’ve always been interested in Roman mythology and mythical creatures,’ Flik explained. ‘I was interested in the octopus and how its fluidity can be interpreted in strange and wonderful ways.’ The result is unexpectedly beautiful prints that call to mind A/W 2011’s equally striking doll arm designs, confirming how Flik can expertly convert creepy connotations into something imaginative and wearable, whilst maintaining the label’s other-worldly appeal.
Flik Hall S/S 2012 by Kate Copeland.
Last season’s dark and moody colour palette of black, and more black (don’t get me wrong – I am a fan of black), has been overthrown next season with only the smallest dose of raven undertones to be seen. ‘I like to mix it up quite a lot with a dark collection followed by a lighter collection, my aim is to keep it fresh,’ said Flik. Keeping in with next season’s sea-theme, innocent whites and delicate creams are highlighted with muted sea shell tones of pink, peach and lilac, whilst rich sand and deep petrol blue give added depth to the range. When asked about the creative process behind each print that she creates, Flik Hall explained that the whole process is very hands on, ‘I take lots of pictures, print out lots of images, collage them and then distort them,’ she said. ‘It’s just all about trying to figure out what’s right for me.’
Flik Hall S/S 2012 by Kate Copeland.
A delicate contrast to that of previous collections, next season offers a more feminine approach that is both ethereal and elegant. Layered silk and trademark printed leather was seen next to metal eyelet details: a representation of octopi suckers that reinforces Flik’s creative mind and attention to detail. Describing the collection as ‘ambiguous, sensuous and wet‘, Flik Hall has turned to opaque and sheer fabrics that contrast each other on narrow skirts and floor-length dresses, while her original flare is highlighted by the careful use of wetsuit-inspired Neoprene. As something that in my opinion could quite easily have gone horribly wrong, Flik pulls it off with structured mini dresses and voluminous jumpsuits that maintain a sense of femininity, whilst reconfirming that dynamic edge the label is beginning to be known for.
Though colour and print have been replaced with a more romantic aesthetic, Flik Hall‘s structured silhouette remains. The adoption of Neoprene is a clever addition to an already inventive collection, marrying structured shapes with semi-transparent fabrics. The overall desired effect is successful as I can’t help but conjure up swirling images of the deep sea, whilst one glance at the model’s intricately placed hair – mirroring that of curling tentacles – is enough to confirm the key influence of the mythical half-octopus-half-human creature known as Cecaelias.
Flik Hall S/S 2012 by Alia Gargum.
I was mesmerised once in Paris, and mesmerised all over again in London; Flik Hall is constantly pushing herself forward and thinking outside of the box. Even if she does insist on keeping the label small and exclusive, S/S 2012 sees a stellar collection from one of London’s best up-and-coming designers that predicts a promising future for the Flik Hall brand.
Categories ,Alia Gargum, ,Ashley Joiner Central Saint Martins, ,Cecaelias, ,film, ,Flik Hall, ,Giles Deacon, ,House of Holland, ,illustration, ,Kate Copeland, ,london, ,Milly Jackson, ,Neoprene, ,Octopus, ,paris, ,Rendez-Vous Femme, ,S/S 2012, ,Vyner Street Gallery
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