What does it mean to be a woman in 2020? This was the question posed by Marques’Almeida at its catwalk show at London Fashion Week this afternoon and was answered by fans of the brand. “If I had a daughter I would want her to know that its ok to be who you are and to be super unapologetic about it,” was the message of one twenty-something, vocalised via a video broadcast on large projector screens dotted around Brick Lane’s Truman Brewery. Many others from the loyal community of ‘M’A Girls & Boys’ followed suit, with statement such as; “I would want her to grow up knowing that the word ‘no’ is hers to use freely” and “it’s a wonderful thing to be a woman, I want her to know how much power she has, as a female”.
This translated onto the catwalk with a confident collection that wasn’t afraid to be ultra feminine at times and tough as the biker boots many models stomped out in at others. Power ruffle blouses and bubble-hem taffeta dresses were presented alongside motorcross leathers and floral body stockings, while oversized check shirts were layered underneath red corsets.
The brand, which was founded by Portuguese design duo Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida in 2011 to offer a cooler breed of luxury fashion for a younger consumer, has long been renowned for its signature raw denim. Today, the fabric played a starring role in the form of frayed hem wide leg jeans, but also on wrap coats and exaggerated tulip skirts.
After a brief hiatus from London Fashion Week, during which the label chose to unveil their collection on the Paris schedule instead, this homecoming show served as an homage to the energy of the capital and a celebration of personal style.
As a result, this was as much about the clothes on the catwalk as it was the woman wearing them. Some of the models, diverse in their casting, clutched headphones while heels remained firmly below the two-inch mark to ground the idea that this was a collection designed to be lived in.
