Simon Mo autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW

Simon Mo, a Taiwanese designer raised in Malaysia, has come a long way since graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2012, becoming a must-see at London’s large indie clothing presentation, Fashion Scout.

The first thing to note when entering the label’s AW19 presentation is Mo’s interactions with nature. This element is not surprising as the designer considers himself an environmentalist. Plants line the walls where the models wear a number of colours including green, blue, lilac, red and even the seasons trendiest shade, beige. This wide palette is a testament to the variety of colours found in nature.

Mo uses shapes from nature and marries these with the human form. This is seen most clearly on the models who wear earrings that resemble leaves. The leaves look as though they are an extension of the wearers’ ears and body, perhaps to show that as humans we are a part of the organic world.

The presentation’s focal point is a lab bench. Models wearing outfits adorned with plaid take turns at the bench, reconstructing the atmosphere of a science class. While initially the juxtaposition of nature and science seems contradictory, a message comes through in the collection that without the former, the latter ceases to exist.

Not only is the presentation a brilliant marriage of disciplines, but it’s also a diverse display of clothes, styles and trends that mirror the variety found in nature.

Oriana Findlay