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FASHION IN MOTION

Holly Fulton

Fashion in Motion: Holly Fulton | Image: Chris Taylor

On 20th July, we attended Fashion in Motion featuring Holly Fulton at the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was a spectacular retrospective of the label, that featured highlights from past seasons. We sat eagerly and were anxious to get a snapshot of how the label has evolved over the years. As the shows began, we were not disappointed, Fulton sent down models decked out in beautiful and complex graphic embellishments, laid out in eye catching bold colours..

She restyled the looks, so as to create a more congruent show. In spite of the varied colour palettes and array of inspiration that stretches across 6 seasons, she succeeded in highlighting her unique visual aesthetic that couples with her hand rendered backdrop. Below are some of the looks:

Holly Fulton | Image: Hawthorne & Heaney

The collection that we liked the most was Spring Summer 2016, seen in the two looks below. She drew inspiration from Eileen Agar, who collage decorative elements with nature. Fulton skillfully translated the spiral seashell shapes and kaleidoscope colour palette into her prints and embellishment. And she even included a cascading tail into the mix, that were balanced out with well orchestrated and balanced proportions.

Holly Fulton | Image: Hawthorne & Heaney Holly Fulton | Image: Hawthorne & Heaney

Eileen Agar | The return of the Blues

Holly Fulton | Image: Yanyun

After this opportunity to feast on Holly’s designs, we are excited to see what the designer would sent down the runway in the coming fashion week.

By Elsie Wong

For anyone interested by embroidery, Opus Anglicanum at the V&A museum is a must see exhibition. Despite its somewhat inaccessible name, the exhibition is a rare treat to see historical pieces, some of which are almost 1000 years old or on loan from usually closed archives.

The Toledo Cope, 1320-30, England.

The exhibition itself has a very considered, calm feel which seems to suit to nature of the materials on show. It is amazing that these pieces have survived this long, understandably some of the silks have lost the vibrancy of their colour and the metal work has tarnished, but the skill and detail are very evident. In most of the designs, the red colours have survived the best, but in the Toledo Cope the blues are especially pleasing.

The Toledo Cope, 1320-30, England.

The descriptions of the pieces are very detailed, each siteing the types of stitch and techniques used as well as the materials in each piece. There is no doubt of the detail of these pieces is astonishing, even if our modern interpretation of the subject matters can be a little amusing like these very long lions.

Lions on Horse Trapper 1330-40

There are some handy videos that will fill in the gaps in anyone’s knowledge who is not familar with the techniques on display.

Along side the embroidery, there are a few related treat pieces such as this beautiful swan pin which shares influences with the embroidery subjects.

The Dunstable Swan Jewel, c1400

Opus Anglicanum is open to the public at the Victoria and Albert museum now until the 5th Feb 2017.

Hawthorne & Heaney at Holly Fulton’s Retrospective

Hawthorne & Heaney Visits Opus Anglicanum at the V&A