Mood board: Tactility took on new meaning at Paula Gerbase’s A/W 2016 ‘Fools Gold’ collection, presented to the beat of goblet drums. In a world of endless choice, Gerbase's reductionist approach is looking increasingly appealing and this season she celebrated ‘the purity of the untouched’ by honoring the invisible. As per usual, everything on her 1205 runway had a functional simplicity that masterfully concealed the complexity of her precision tailoring prowess.
Best in show: Gerbase’s collections always push the envelope on fabrication and particular highlights this season included a navy broken rib wool and double face copper polyamide (the latter resembling a fine honeycomb chain mail), from which she engineered tapered tunics. Minimalist white cotton thobes and long split skirts cut from a lustrous red ochre polyester similarly brought home the urban nomad theme. That said, it was Gerbase’s primitive shearling wrap skirt, paired with an architectural blouse made from transparent waterproof organza, which effortlessly endorsed the simple elegance of utilitarian dressing.
Finishing touches: The designer took a similarly relaxed approach to footwear this season with white soled, ecru macramé giveh loafers (which while suitable for casual beach combing, also possessed a sturdiness that you would expect from her John Lobb connections) and pointed babouche slippers that turned up at the toe in the traditional Arabic fashion.
INFORMATION
Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
-
Nela is London's new stage for open-fire gastronomyA beloved Amsterdam import brings live-fire elegance to The Whiteley’s grand revival
-
How we host: with Our Place founder, Shiza ShahidWelcome, come on in, and take a seat at Wallpaper*s new series 'How we host' where we dissect the art of entertaining. Here, we speak to Our Place founder Shiza Shahid on what makes the perfect dinner party, from sourcing food in to perfecting the guest list, and yes, Michelle Obama is invited
-
Matteo Thun carves a masterful thermal retreat into the Canadian RockiesBasin Glacial Waters, a project two decades in the making, finally surfaces at Lake Louise, blurring the boundaries between architecture and terrain
-
‘Dirty Looks’ at the Barbican explores how fashion designers have found beauty in dirt and decayFrom garments buried in River Thames mud to those torn, creased and stained, ‘Dirty Looks’ is a testament to how ‘creativity and new artistic practices can come out of decay’, its curators tell Dal Chodha
-
Tyler Mitchell’s London show explores the figure of the Black Dandy, ‘imagining what else masculinity could look like’Originally part of a visual essay to accompany the Met’s ‘Superfine’ 2025 Costume Institute exhibition, ‘Portrait of the Modern Dandy’ goes on display at Gagosian Burlington Arcade in London this week
-
Inside Louis Vuitton’s Murakami London pop-up, a colourful cartoon wonderland with one-of-a-kind caféWallpaper* takes a tour of the Louis Vuitton x Murakami pop-up in London’s Soho, which celebrates the launch of a new ‘re-edition’ accessories collection spanning the greatest hits from the Japanese artist’s long-running collaboration with the house
-
Get to know Issey Miyake’s innovative A-POC ABLE line as it arrives in the UKAs A-POC ABLE Issey Miyake launches in London this week, designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae gives Wallpaper* the lowdown on the experimental Issey Miyake offshoot
-
Margaret Howell London Fashion Week Women's S/S 2019 -
London Fashion Week S/S 2023: Ahluwalia to Martine RoseThough slimmed-down, London Fashion Week nonetheless provided the moments of creative expression the city is known for – from Ahluwalia’s ode to Africa to Martine Rose’s much-anticipated runway return
-
Discover these fashion brands at London Craft WeekDuring London Craft Week, fashion brands including Smythson, Bally and Serapian are hosting events across the capital
-
Nicholas Daley's multicultural roots celebrated in London
