Faustine Steinmetz autumn/winter 2016 collection presentation for LFW

So it was to Tate Britain, beginning with an indulgent walk through the galleries and confronted by atmospheric artworks such as Turner’s Snowstorm and Henry Moore’s figure sculptures.  They signalled the expectant fashion crowd towards the Duveen Galleries, where the Faustine Steinmetz autumn/winter 2016 presentation was held.

These elements of gallery display obviously emanated in the designer’s conscious as the models were presented inside an elaborate set of white cubes. A collaboration with set designer Thomas Petherick, these cubes consisted of carefully considered rectangular slices carved into the eyeline in order for viewers to gaze at the models and collection, as though watching dolls in a doll house.

Parisian-born but London-based Faustine Steinmetz, presented an ode to 1970s shaping and silhouette, building upon her reputation for the hand-woven and hand-crafted. Deconstructed skirts and unravelled trouser waists, asymmetric woven polos and oversized wave woven scarves with retro flares and long jackets in mohair, soft cottons and towelling – and all hand-woven by the designer. Details of the clothing was intentionally visible, with welt pockets, trouser fly front fastenings, cutaway seams and thigh-high leg warmers, mohair and leather showed a move away from the signature denim seen at Faustine Steinmetz last season. 

Themes of fun and play continued throughout the collection in oversized draped patent leather tops, giant eyelets with enormous pipe cleaner-esque belts and circular handles on patent metallic leather bags in gold and silver hues. The designer almost graphically grouped her palette – each colour mirroring the hue of the inside of the white cubes. These ranged from tribal rust orange, bright white, sunshine yellow, alabaster fawn and a beautiful teal.  Hair was wild, back-combed and crimped, further emphasising the primal, wild and fun.

The Tate Britain setting for this collection was perfect, juxtaposing this idea of the gallery as a white cube, whilst onlookers were confronted with the voyeurism of fashion and the fashion show, by peeping through the cases to view the collection. Faustine Steinmetz showed confidence and craftsmanship as well as a childlike playfulness; definitely an incredibly exciting emerging designer to look out for in the future.

Victoria Geaney
Photos: Krisztian Pinter