ZERO // Phoebe English.

With a delicate sweep of shrimp netting and tulle, the Phoebe English collection revealed itself amongst obsolete electric fans, defunct radios and roughly cascading dust sheets in a raw, enigmatic environment which reflected the designer’s commitment to construction.

Photo by Josh Eustace

As per the creative ethos of the label, structure took precedent over decoration, with concentration firmly on the textiles and finishing of each design. Voluminous, ethereal layers of organza and calculatedly haphazard lines and hems on suede tailoring and cotton shirts created an unfinished but elegant aesthetic, emphasised by the tangled mesh drapery of the dresses and knotted velvet ropes. A predominance of black and white with the occasional muted pink allowed the textures and details to take centre stage, with a hint of glitter winking through the tulle like grains of sand in a beachgoer’s net. Similarly, the sparkling hair barrettes recalled unexpected items washed ashore with driftwood, appearing like lost treasure amongst the models’ slicked fringes and tousled tresses.

Bare upper arms peeked out from intricate contours of décolletage, while wrists were wrapped in separate sleeve garters in weightier latex. The juxtaposition of transparent gauze with more substantial structures lent the looks an air of daintiness while also appearing more rough and ready. Like a fragile fish entwined in a fisherman’s line, the collection’s marriage of delicate and disorderly signifies the designer’s attention to the labour of construction and her blossoming abilities as a young fashion talent. Emblematic of that Central Saint Martins grad pool of brilliance – particularly those who studied under the late Louise Wilson –  English makes you proud to be British.

Originally published in ZERO Magazine.