Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2010 Catwalk Review: Andrew Majtenyi by Amelia

Andrew Majtenyi by Maryanne Oliver
Andrew Majtenyi by Maryanne Oliver

Sometimes fashion designers decide to show in strange venues, there and such was the case with Canadian born designer Andrew Matjyeni, generic who decided to show in a fancy room at the top of an important looking building not far from Somerset House (Canada House, I believe. I can see how that makes sense). Ushered into a lift we were soon bunched into a weird little corridor several floors up, alongside lots of other slightly overheated and irate fashion punters. Not good when you suffer from fashion week freebie overburdenment combined with mild claustrophobia. And I was also bloody STARVIN I tells ya: this being late in the day and having not yet eaten. As Matt and I settled into the front row I casually wondered aloud if it would be okay to gobble down the rest of my Pret sandwich – Matt looked so mortified I quickly thought the better of it. I’m really not very good at fashion week etiquette, but I guess it’s not a good look really is it?

The first thing I loved about Andrew’s collection was the big big crimped hair, held back with delicate plaits. Possibly not what he was trying to sell, but hey, props to the hair stylist! The second thing I really liked was the cute oversized 50s inspired prints – bold, painterly and large, they featured parasol picnic tables, dogs on leads and elegantly dressed ladies on a day out. The pink splash silver birch digital print offered a more modern take on textile design, and it comes as no surprise to learn that Andew Majtenyi prefers to design directly with fabric rather than pen and paper.

Andrew Majtenyi by Maryanne Oliver
Andrew Majtenyi by Maryanne Oliver

Skirts were short short short and delicate pockets on sleeves made for interesting understated details. I can’t in all honesty remember a great deal else, other than it was all tasteful, elegant and wearable. A little research shows that Majtenyi clearly fancies himself a designer for the international jet set. And I quote verbatim from his website: “From his frequent international trips and the latest art/fashion installations, all keep on the pulse of what’s to come in the world of fashion and trends.” Here he also boasts of international tours. I thought those were the sole preserve of rockstars! It’s a shame that I can’t ultimately feel incredibly enthusiastic about the kind of fashion that promotes what I consider a very out of date lifestyle. And a dangerous one at that. Because ultimately someone somewhere will suffer because of the actions of those who take more than they need. My advice? Andrew, stick to doing what you do, well, in one country. We don’t need more global hyperbrands. Really we don’t. Why does everyone want world domination? My two pence, is all.

For Matt Bramford’s view of this show read on here.

Categories ,50s, ,Andrew Majtenyi, ,Canada House, ,catwalk, ,Hyperbrands, ,London Fashion Week, ,Maryanne Oliver, ,textiles

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