Bora Aksu catwalk show report for LFW A/W 2014

London-based Turkish designer Bora Aksu brought us yet another beautiful collection inspired by his mother, Birsen, and her letters from boarding school. The juxtaposing ideas of uniformed society and individual will is what Bora has played upon through his dramatic use of colour, form and texture. Blacks and midnight blues provide formality and structure, while punchy reds and mustard remind us of the playfulness of a childhood mentality. Always elegant and feminine, Bora has become known for his romantic take on the cocktail dress. This season, Aksu paired silks with wools and corduroy, with leather panels bridging the gap between concept and materials.

Since graduating with an MA from Central St Martins in 2002, Aksu has gone on to collaborate with some of the biggest names in the biz such as Topshop, Nike, Anthropologie and Selfridges. His twisted romantic aesthetic has not only caught the eye of celebrities like Sienna Miller and Keira Knightley, but has rightfully earned himself Designer of the Year at the Elle Style Awards in Turkey and a spot on the judging panel of the WGSN Global Fashion Awards. The designer has developed such an unmistakeable signature through the juxtaposition of femininity with a hard edge that fashion week moguls Dolce and Gabbana have purchased a few of his pieces as sources of inspiration. We agree with mother Vogue in saying: “The buzz around Bora Aksu is ever-growing; it’s easy to see why.”

Christianna Pugliese
Photos: Krisztian Pinter

To see backstage photos for Bora Aksu A/W 2014 visit here.