Sorapol spring/summer 2017 collection presentation for LFW

It is unusual to see a Sorapol presentation. Usually a smaller, more relaxed affair than a show, a presentation seems out of character for a label that counts Nicki Minaj and Azlealia Banks among its fans and is notoriously larger than life on the runway. The result was a packed ensemble of buyers, press and guests at Illamasqua on Beak Street, all clamouring to get a close inspection of the six outfits on display.

The collection was essentially monochrome and was limited to four black and two white outfits. Muting the palette in this way focused attention on the detail of the pieces themselves, which was likely head designer Sorapol Chawaphatnakul and creative director Daniel Lismore’s intention.

The outfits had a gothic, carnival feel. Midnight gowns were smothered in silk or organza ruffle skirts, painstakingly pinned so as to give each ruffle the appearance of a flower.Pared-down ruffle collars and bodices, with comically billowing sleeves, added to this image, as did a cream skirt with organza tuffs, arranged like a substitute for the classic circus polka dots.
In place of ruffles, the ivory gowns had a greater focus on exaggerating shapes and silhouettes. One featured a waist-length, boat-neck top with a dramatic, plummeting cape. The other an off-shoulder neckline with the same balloon sleeves showcased in the midnight black pieces. Both were exquisitely embroidered with an ivy-like pattern that snaked from the foot of the dresses to the neckline.

London Fashion Week has come to expect a spectacle of couture from Lismore, an artist who describes himself as “living, breathing art”, and Chawaphatnakul. This carefully curated collection was a concentrated version of their runway shows, distilling the detailed embellishments, indulgent fabrics and fascinating cuts into a display that – though smaller – was no less awe-inspiring.

Katie Dean
Photos: Krisztian Pinter

For further information about Sorapol visit here.