Han Wen autumn/winter 2017 collection catwalk show for LFW

For his AW17 collection, Han Wen drew inspiration from the gangsters in the novel A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. These gangsters were the infamous members of “one of the most feared of all London’s street gangs in the 1880s” and Wen successfully channelled these characters showcasing his image of a female gangster transformation.  

With a thudding baseline to accompany the models as they walked down the runway, the combination of innovative silhouettes and clash of textiles and colours gave a real sense of power and dominance to the collection. The majority of the looks presented a statement, oversized leather jacket, crumpled and conformed to create fluidity within a tough material, with lace-up detailing and silver chains. The influence from Burgess’ dystopian punk characters can clearly be seen in this use of materials in Wen’s bondage-style outfits.  

Wen’s colour and texture combinations are key to this collection, as they bring his narrative to life. He often paired the patent jackets with flowing pleated trousers or skirts. The juxtaposition of leather and satin allowed the collection to be elegant and flattering at the same time as androgynous and unconventional, presenting the image of a modern rebel in society.

The colour palette utilised typical autumnal greens, oranges, yellows and reds, however this conventionality appeared to be playful when paralleled against the fishnet tights, flares and leather straps. This is again an example of how Wen juxtaposes creativity and wearability, setting himself apart from the traditional trends seen on the catwalk.

 

The models’ hairstyles were all intricately plaited, adorned with the same metal rings that featured on the outfits, succeeding in tying the looks together. The make-up was simple but accented with statement black eyelashes on the bottom lash line, reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s iconic vision of Alex in the film adaptation of the film.

The collection as a whole was fun, powerful and avant-garde. Wen played around with silhouettes, materials and intricate details, all working together to create his vision of these notorious female gangsters, leaving the audience with a sense of empowerment at the close of the show, breaking the stereotypes of female fashion.

Eve Upton-Clark
Photos: Krish Nagari

For further information about Han Wen visit here.