Fashions Finest

The strong tribal theme last seen in AW12 was resurrected in the collections showcased by Europe’s emerging designers.

Creative graduates were given an opportunity to exhibit their latest projects at the Fashions Finest event that sidelined the main London Fashion Week schedule.

And as some of the female designers played it safe with key black trends, others attempted to make their collections stand out at The Westbury in Mayfair on Sunday.

Here’s a summary of each designer’s catwalk lines:

Blackpearl’s Secrets

Elegant and formal, the runway featured shimmering floor-length dresses and fitted men’s suits with tribal motifs etched on the pockets, elbows and lapels.

Blackpearl’s collection imitated the split-at-the-thigh gowns worn by Angelina Jolie and the hip-revealing dresses first adorned by Cheryl Cole.

But the contemporary was intertwined with the past, with square buckles nipping in at the waist and lace-up detail to the front and back of the dresses.

The catwalk line showed off the female form, with deep v-neck lines, high-rise slits and pieces which exposed the back.

Agatha Hambi

Black is the signature style of the Hambi designs as each model walked out to the chilled beats of the music.

Sticking to a black colour scheme with silver zips for all her pieces, Hambi’s collection was again floor-length but loose fitting against the frames of the models.

Halter necklines were prominent but there was little in the way of detail apart from a couple of dresses with feathers on the straps at the base of the neck.

To make each dress unique though, she incorporated different materials, such as netted, see-through textiles to the arms, shoulders and chest area.

Ella Bethel

A refreshing splash of colour delighted the audience in the next line-up by Bethel.

With the first model dressed in fruity reds, oranges and yellows in a skirt and blazer combination, the designs that followed were anything but consistent.

They were glam and cute with a look of ‘cocktails in the summer’.

All skirts were above the knee and Bethel experimented with materials, distinguishing the top and bottom halves of her projects.

There was also a hint of the tribal with delicate designs at the waist to the bolder print dresses. 

Tribal Gem

As the name suggests, Tribal Gem featured statement tribal motifs printed on blazers.

Models were dressed in black leggings so the eye was drawn to the bright designs on the jackets.

Sitting at the waist in either a straight or curved cut, the suits often featured a single button below the breasts, exposing the midriff.

The standout blazer was one that looked somewhat like a pillowcase – see the picture.

Mademoiselle Aglaia

Using black as the base of her designs, Aglaia’s collection was more experimental than her fellow designers.

The male models were dressed in a futuristic, street goth trend, while the women sported soft-flowing skirts, juxtaposed with crude short cut shorts and mini-skirts exposing the flesh.

A memorable piece was the half sequined, half feathered ball gown with a zig-zag design to the front which wouldn’t look too out of place on the high-street.

Established Beauxtique

Formal but with cheeky, playful undertones, the designs also incorporated the ongoing tribal theme.

Bold print jackets in deep yellows and reds were matched with elegant black skirts and dresses.

There were gasps as a model wearing a frilly dress and sheer turquoise bodice strutted down the catwalk.

Eva Cammarata

As a finalist in Britain’s Top Designer, Cammarata’s collection had to match her glowing introduction.

And she didn’t disappoint.

Unusually, her collection stuck to thick-threaded/woollen jumper dresses and belly tops teamed with tweed three-quarter length trousers.

Sticking to rusty gold and bronze colours, there was also a touch of S&M in her clothing.

Belt-like straps clung to the shoulders and hugged the area below the chest in a couple of her pieces.

And one of her more unusual designs included white lace teamed with a thick blue-layered woollen skirt. 

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Overall, Fashions Finest gave a good glimpse of the collections London Fashion Week followers can expect from future generations of designers. The model’s timing when entering the runway and the narration of the event may not have been perfectly executed, but their projects were promising