The intimate space of 13-14 Dean Street was transformed to become the boudoir with which Naomi Hart would debut her first runway collection. The rectangular room was peppered with seating along either side, allowing a catwalk to pass straight down the middle. At the end of the corridor was a floor-to-ceiling mirror, one that immediately became a central element of the presentation-leaning event.
The garments were presented as if we were looking into the intimate space of the models in the confines of their own homes. Initially, we witnessed the first model appeared in a pale canary yellow outfit. As if the look wasn’t standalone enough, she sauntered over to the closet on the left of the stage. Once she pulled the doors open, audience members watched as she selected a matching jacket to accompany her look whilst peering at herself in the mirror. Other garments included colour tones of cornsilk, crimson, black, and burgundy. There was shifting throughout the silhouettes, nodding to themes of “youthful innocence to coquettish sensuality”. Audience members witnessed heart-shaped necklines in direct tandem with militant, utilitarian floor-length coats, underpinning the value of high contrast, to the fore.
The song by Crazy Clown Time, entitled “Strange and Unproductive Thinking” (2011) played alongside the runway, creating a bombarding atmosphere in contrast with the feminine garments. The work was “famously composed by David Lynch, a director known for his surrealist cult classics like Twin Peaks”. Thus, a quiet disruption accompanied the otherwise settled albeit slightly unnerving energy of the runway. The designer creates each garment to complement the wearer’s body, bringing bespoke to LFW in a compelling and accessible way. Naomi Hart disclosed that she only decided to show this season a month before its debut, one that was so oversubscribed, they had to establish a second time slot to accommodate.
Forms were playful and futuristic, operating via unexpected colourways that seemingly popped out into view. This was after the first three outfits appeared as if the season’s palette would operate via pastels and warm tones when out appeared, cerulean blue and plum. In addition to the eye-catching palette, silhouettes were daring yet maintained their feminine proclivities – all leather looks adorned models head to toe, whilst exaggerated circular sunglasses tied themes together. Makeup was simple yet pointed, playing to the natural beauty of each model as they looked pensively into their ownreflections. Studying themselves, as we studied them – there was an air of intrigue and mystique about the room.
I had the chance to briefly chat with the designer after the models had left, and the venue began to clear. Read below to learn more about the details behind this collection and what can result from trusting yourself to create something trulydaring and unique.
Your works are known for their bespoke nature, being intricately hand-sewn to fit each model – can you tell us a little more about that?
I do a lot of custom work for musicians, different performers, that kind of thing. I prefer to buy what I need at the time,rather than just stocking up. For my designs, it’s nice with the panelling, leather, and other materials – to work on that basis.
The runway also operated like a presentation, with playfulness throughout – can you give our readership a little more insight into the concept behind it?
It’s about trying to create a new world. The whole idea of fantasy, surrealism… this collection had to do with space age and retrofuturism. But the original inspiration for the patterning was also the formations in rocks and stones… Then I thought, let’s just mix that with some retro-futurism for fun.
Tell us more about the music choice?
I wanted to make something a little bit eerie and weird at the start, where it’s a little bit like… What’s happening? What’sgoing to come? You know when you’re watching a film and you’re waiting for that suspense of what’s going to happen. Then I wanted to do something unexpected and contrast that. The whole idea behind my designs is that you’re meant to feel quite powerful, all of this is in the clothing.
I was intrigued by the title, where did it come from?
When I was listening to that song in the studio, and it’s talking about unproductive thinking, I do that a lot. It just came because I had no title for the collection. We were listening to the music, and then they sang “unproductive thinking”, and I went, yeah. Nice. That’s me… so that’s this collection.
If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice after what you know now, what would you say?
I second guess myself all the time, but then you have all the girls who have come today, and they’re all saying how much they love the designs, they love wearing them.
Do not doubt yourself. A lot of the time you know, you’re doing something but there are so many other talented people in London and other creators… It’s easy to think, oh, they’re doing this, they’re doing it better. Ultimately, everyone’s doing completely different stuff.
Photography by Jasmine Mckell