Le Kilt autumn/winter 2017 collection presentation for LFW

For her autumn/winter 2017 offering, Scottish designer Samantha McCouch offered up a ten-outfit collection, dubbed A Perfect Contract, that explored the possibilities of the Kilt in a 21^st century context.

Continuing to be inspired by her own heritage and family’s history, McCouch stuck to a clean, 60s-style silhouette that allowed her to focus more on material. To an eerie soundtrack provided by a live string quartet, she added home-felted knitwear to her repertoire, lightly hand-dyed to create cloud-like shading, and expanded the collection to also include a few sharp, dark denim pieces.

McCouch decided to offer two lengths of skirts, mini and knee-length, which fitted beautifully with the Mod-inspired styling of the presentation. The models stood like heroines with eyeliner and berets, surrounded by stacks of cubes that showed eyes, lips and other facial features. The rose lighting added to the feel of being in a Wes Anderson film set in London of the 1960s.

The 60s could be felt particularly in the A-line houndstooth skirt and leopard creepers, as well as an Argyle jumper paired with a vinyl-fronted black kilt. The leather belts and harnesses emphasised the nostalgic yet simultaneously contemporary feel of the collection.

Naturally, McCouch did not neglect her signature kilt, this time paired with a knitted v-neck vest and studded leather harness, but it was clear that the designer is keen to demonstrate that she has more to offer than that iconic piece of Scottish heritage. Undoubtedly, McCouch will use Le Kilt to continue to explore the richness of the textile industry that can be found in her native Scotland, and she will continue to translate her findings into sharp, contemporary and wearable pieces that will fit perfectly into wardrobes of young women like her.

Teresa Kroenung
Photos: Filippo L’Astorina

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