LFW – Felicities Presents – Showcase and drinks reception celebrating the best emerging fashion designers in London

The evening of day three at London Fashion Week saw the Portico Rooms bustling with photographers, press and bloggers eager to see the Autumn/Winter ’13 collections from four of the most exciting emerging designers in London. 

The first collection we saw was by luxury womenswear label Beautiful Soul, who describe themselves as “Quintessentially English with a wholly international appeal” – committed to sourcing environmentally friendly fabric and UK based production. 

The A/W collection was named I Love Ladybirds and was inspired by designer Nicola Wood’s childhood memories of collecting ladybirds with her sister. The collection is made up of a beautiful blue and green floral print on floor length dresses, along with a select few all black pieces. There were also a range of collars on the dresses, creating both a smart look and a flattering shape. 

The next collection we saw was Basharatyan V, run by Balkarian-Armenian born Veronica Basharatyan. Veronica moved o London to enrol on a course at Central Saint Martins, and later graduated from London College of Fashion. The brand’s aims are to “create unique fashion fabrics and individually tailored women’s clothing”, and having opened their first showroom in Moscow, they are now working on opening the second here in London. The A/W collection, Broken Angel, consisted of four simple colours – black, white and cream, navy and red, giving an almost patriotic feel, however Veronica expressed that her she was inspired by Japan – kimono techniques and deep shades of red indicate Geisha girls being the muses for this collection.  The other highlights of the collection were an off white wool coat with beautifully cut lapels, and turtle necks, along with a navy silk dress complete with striking ruffles on the chest. 

The third collection was Neobotanic – designed by Olga Ankudinova. The brand focuses on floral and plant motifs on a range of fabrics, with the aims “to fill its customers lives with bright, piquant and striking patterns”. The A/W Neon collection is made up of 60s inspired dresses, shirts, shorts and blazers. The bright coloured patterns on black bases work perfectly for the summer season, showing the transition from day to night. The shiny, satin materials also point towards a slight oriental theme. 

The final collection was by Londoner and Fashion Fringe finalist Vita Gottlieb. The womenswear brand is “inspired by travel, alternative culture and the natural world” – visible in the latest collection. Vita Gottlieb’s ethos is to produce every piece in the UK and source fabrics from a variety of both sustainable and ethical suppliers, as well as minimising waste as much as possible. The collection, named Without Doubt consists of bold metallic ruffles, khaki tones, glitter detailing and china vase prints. Vita told the crowds that her inspirations for this collection were French poets Rimbaud and Verlaine.

Rachel Holliman

Photos: Rachel Holliman