Mary Katrantzou A/W 2019 London Fashion Week Women’s

Mary Katrantzou A/W 2019 london fashion week backstage models — Mary Katrantzou A/W 2019.

(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Mood board: Never has the natural world been more in the mind of the fashion industry, prompted perhaps in part by the broader news agenda. Just yesterday UK school children walked out of their classrooms to protest political inaction over climate change. For A/W 2019, Greek-born London-based designer Mary Katrantzou look to the Ioanian philosophy of Empedocles, who defined the elemental as earth, wind, fire and water. Her imaginative and extravagant collection transcended these states, and nodded to the glory of the natural world. Bright ruffle and ostrich feather dresses swathed models like floating clouds, capes featured panoramic landscapes in bold jacquard or sequined other worldly scenes, and tailored coats featured the contours of cracked earth.

Best in show: This was an ostentatious collection, abounding in colour, embellishment and froth. There were trails of airy organza and swathes of water droplet-like paillettes. A series of tailored coats offered a quieter take on the collection, and were imagined in colour-blocked houndstooth with gauzy ruffled boas.

Team work: On Friday, Jimmy Choo showcased it’s A/W 2019 collaboration with designer Ashley Williams. The shoes featured on Saturday’s catwalk too. Katrantzou’s footwear came courtesy of the brand, seen in zesty snakeskin boots and Mary Jane heels and strappy stilettos.