Avsh Alom Gur: London Fashion Week

You expect something different when a front-row seat is occupied by a pink-haired tigger (yes, really!), and there were definitely elements of the eccentric at the Avsh Alom Gur show today – most noticeably in his use of millinery techniques spilling into garment design. Woven straw headpieces in traditional brimmed shapes were worn cape-like in pairs on shoulders, or more dramatically embroidered on dresses – the bowl-shaped pieces appearing to float on the chiffon-light fabric.

Colours were vibrant with varying hues of red vying for supremacy over sharp yellows and muted black in geometric prints – though the real star of the collection was the designer’s use of gold which embellished the majority of ensembles. The metallic shade appeared on fabric in the huge gold puff sleeves that opened the show, and polished in the playful bird pendants strung around the models’ necks. Angular tailored black jackets appeared almost armour-like with gold panelling on the lapels, and decoration on shoulders gave an almost military effect.

For me, the show’s highlight was a regal purple velvet cape, the ever present gold in the form of a glossy gold torque giving an almost monastic effect to the look which was elegant in it’s simplicity, however I failed to get to excited by much of the show as I somehow felt I’d seen it all before. Many of the designs contained elements of trends we saw last season – the gold, the geometric prints, the mini and body-con. Perhaps an indication that these trends have legs longer than a season, but my instinct tells me that by next winter we’ll be ready to wear something new.