Illustration by Jo Cheung
Presentations are funny things; done badly they can leave you feeling a bit underwhelmed, case but done well they can be even more effective than a big catwalk show. Craig Lawrence’s A/W 2011 presentation fell into the latter category for me; a series of presentations meant that there was plenty of room to find a seat, this but still impressive front row faces like Susie Bubble and Fred Butler. A voiceover narrated the details of each outfit which really shed a lot of light on the intricacies of the designs that might have been lost on me otherwise; like garments being turned inside out to expose filigree textures beneath the surface.
Photography by Katie Antoniou
The shoes were also real show-stoppers, medical the result of a collaboration between Craig and Crisian & McCaffrey, featuring killer heels and knitted panels. The colours of the collection were inspired by the night; dark blues, purples and navy blues; a brilliant alternative to the blacks and greys autumn/winter collections often resort to. Craig’s alternative textiles like cellophane and Kyototex give a shimmery finish to evening wear, whilst knitted tights worn underneath sheer knits created striking, layered patterns. Some pieces were made up of large circles and stripes woven into the fabric, subtle details which only really showed up in the texture of the garments.
Illustration by Jo Cheung
In striking contrast to the dark clothes, the models’ eyes were accentuated with a neon orange stripe on each eyelid; in keeping with the ‘brights’ make-up trend. Statement tights were also omnipresent in the LFW crowd and Craig’s offerings imply they’re going nowhere.
When the presentation finished, Craig didn’t seem to be making an appearance, until his mum left her place on the front row to drag him out to much applause. He certainly deserves it for pioneering a totally innovative approach to textiles and knitwear which has made him a firm fixture on the London fashion scene.
You can see more of Jo Cheung’s work in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.
Categories ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Craig Lawrence, ,Fred Butler, ,Jo Cheung, ,knitwear, ,LFW A/W 2011, ,Presentation, ,Susie Bubble
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