Paula Knorr spring/summer 2017 collection presentation for LFW

I don’t like to create people, Paula Knorr explained to guests at the LFW presentation of her SS17 collection, All of Me. I like them to create themselves. 

This is as much a moment of self-reflection for Knorr as it is a comment on her collection. Known for her exploration of femininity and the female psyche through design, Knorr has used All of Me as a means of reconnecting with who she is as an artist. 

The backdrop of the presentation in the Mall’s Institute of Contemporary Arts is a bold red; screens are encased in red blocks and show lingering video shots of traditionally feminine facial features and interviews conducted as part of her MA at the RCA. These interviews posed questions as to participants’ understanding of womanhood – and the results are reflected in the collection. Delicate materials were at the forefront of the collection: flared silk trousers and long-sleeved skintight tops were printed with fabric acrylic paintings and sketches created by Knorr of herself. Growing up in a family of illustrators, she explained that she wanted to go back to the origins of her creative interest and develop her collection using the basic techniques with which she began. In addition to these personal prints, metallic foil-effect fabric was deployed to dramatic effect at the front panelling of tube tops or full length dresses, creating a stark contrast with the translucent black panelling that formed the back of such items. Knorr explained to guests that this collection “looks at how the [female] body moves”. The fluidity of silk and malleability of the foil fabric achieve this and serve both to emphasise and celebrate the female form. Knorr’s explorative journey will be one to watch – as will the conclusions she draws and displays in her next collection.

Katie Dean
Photos: Krish Nagari

For further information about Paula Knorr visit here.