Ashley Williams is going to make you want plastic surgery. That sounds bad, what I mean is she’s going to make you want ‘Plastic Surgery’ printed on a T-shirt and a dress and a bag and whatever else she turns her hand to which you suddenly need more than anything in the world. But don’t be fooled by the dubious call to the operating theatre because this season was all about girl power, evident in the team she worked with for the show. Impeccable (naturally) styling by Vogue contributing fashion editor Fran Burns saw slick straight hair and an almost edible juicy black lip, while casting by Rosie Vogel sent Georgia May Jagger out as an opener followed closely by Alice Dellal and Immy Waterhouse.
On the subject of it girls, Williams has already proven time and again that she’s one of few people who can design good clothes for parties and despite a 9 AM show, her front row was was testament to that. If you couldn’t guess from the set, which saw the models walking ‘through the keyhole’, once the clothes started appearing it was clear this was a celebration of all things good eighties. Loose necked T-shirts and cut-out leggings evoked a bored teen taking to their wardrobe with a pair of scissors, while sharply cut PVC coats and dresses, some trimmed with shearling, added a low-maintenance luxury which felt quite new for Williams. An update on a woven jumper from a few seasons ago, cropping it short above a super high waisted leather skirt, shows a kind of self-awareness and continuity to the label which sets it apart from people who feel like they have to reinvent themselves every fashion week. These are clothes for girls who cut the bottoms off their jumpers, the knees out of their tights and who are only into Plastic Surgery if it’s the name of a new punk band. In short, it’s for anyone who’s ever felt a bit bored of fashion, and if we’re being honest, I think that’s probably everyone.
