LFW – Willow S/S 2013 collection

Movement was the operative word at Willow – even the models seemed to stride at speed down the runway. Structured and sporty body-con shapes were overlaid with the thinnest of silks, which rippled as they hit the air. The palate was the palest mint green, nude chiffon and white with flashes of orange; sporty but soft. 

The stand-out items of the show were made from some ingenious fabric that resembled the effects of petrol on water: super sheer as they flowed out behind the models as if they were creating waves of heat in the atmosphere they sliced through. Or to quote Billy Elliot: like electricity. 

The trend for matchy separates shows no sign of abating for the summer, and Willow’s painterly orange printed ensemble will perfectly set off summer skin. The brand have an aesthetic of underwear as outerwear and everything in the collection is sheer, taking the look out of the realm of peep-show and into a full-on attitude. The show was named Dream Possession, and the ethereal was certainly a presence, but thanks to the fabrics and the fast-paced show, the mood was also one of a space-aged futurism.

All this dreamy escapism was toughened up by the shoes: sandals up to the ankle designed by Christian Louboutin. Another trend still reigning, that of the white shoe. One perfect ensemble was the corseted white dress, low on the bust, finished off with the white Louboutins. Definitely a look to try once the weather gets warmer.

Sarah Cleaver

Watch the Willow catwalk show for spring/summer 2013 here