I remember the first time that I saw Roland Mouret’s Galaxy dress in 2006 and the double take that I took. I was in my early twenties and having graduated university only a few years earlier I was trying to find what style reflected who I was. Back then, from memory, it was only in the pages of high gloss magazines such as Vogue that you could really explore the catwalk trends – the age of social media had not yet landed! Well, with that dress began a love affair with the Roland Mouret.
The Spring Summer 2018 catwalk show at London Fashion Week reminded me just how much I love the brand and the designs that he creates. It was also a special show as it was the 20th anniversary of the label. It was also the first time in 10 years that he has shown in London – previously he was showing in Paris.
With regards this collection, the designer himself has said;
“…It’s my job to design clothes for women, but in order to understand how to dress them, I need to not only look at what’s on the outside but also on the inside – what it feels like to be a woman today. I see more and more women cleverly and stylishly mix fabrics and colours, striking conflicts, bold prints and silhouettes – trends come and go but a strong silhouette is timeless. It inspires me to see how women are less submissive to trends, to see women who know who they are, and what they want to express by the way they dress and the way they live. That seems to me to be the essence of what matters, what is fresh and surprising..”
You can certainly see some of the influence coming through with the pieces – certainly the figure of Frida Kahlo. Roland has previously said that she remains still influential to him – especially in her use of dramatic symbolism, both tender and protective. She deviated from the traditional depiction of female beauty in art and instead chose to paint the raw and honest experiences that so many women face.
Also, I certainly feel that there was a homage to that legendary Galaxy dress, though updated for the time we are in now – think bare shoulders and less cleavage on display but still the same elegant, cutting feel.
Overall, the show had abstract patterns and beautiful cuts with an elegant, soft feminine aesthetic. The setting also held drama with the show being held in the National Theater – the perfect backdrop to the stunning pieces on the catwalk. It is certainly easy to see why this was one of the most highly anticipated shows of this Fashion Week.
Interestingly, they also debuted their new fragrance at London Fashion Week. It was created in partnership with Etat Libre d’Orange and am sure it will be just beautiful. What did you think of the show – did you have a piece that you loved in particular? Or more importantly – did you fall in love with the Galaxy dress as I did?
All images courtesy of Roland Mouret.
