LFW Review: KNWLS presents Sensational - After Work Drinks and Revelations
Following the workday, a sophisticated office style is reimagined with bold shapes and textures, embodied by distinctive characters.
During London Fashion Week on Monday 19th February, KNWLS presented their AW24 collection “SENSATIONAL” in East London.
by Kenny Downs
Picture it, it’s 2007 and you’re working at a big magazine and you’re about to head for celebratory drinks at Soho House after successfully wrapping up fashion week. You and your team are the hottest things in Central, yet drained from weeks of prep and indifferent now that the hard work is done.
Julian the PR girly confidently steps out in a ultra modern midi-length black denim zip with some furry boots. Jazlyn in accounting merely takes off her trousers and her demure jumper becomes a cute mini dress. McKenna, the stylist, sluggishly slays in head-to-toe snake print. And you’re jazzily jaded in a green leather jacket and a pair of khaki kick flares.
“KNWLS played with both minimalism and maximalism in the tone of the mid ‘00s’ and ‘80s revival.”
KNWLS played with both minimalism and maximalism in the tone of the mid ‘00s’ and ‘80s revival in their AW24’ “Sensational” collection. Simple, monochromatic looks were walking behind bold knitwear and prints, along with a couple of unforgettable sequin camo numbers. Who could even ignore the fur throughout the collection which seems to be the IN trend this season. This collection flirted with a few common styles from the noughties. We get a few tastes of Sex and the City with a couple of splashes of Joan and Toni from Girlfriends. The characters from these shows are known for experimenting with their fashion, whether it’s intentional to their personality or part of their maturation.
“True to their brand’s DNA by using body-snatching corsetry and effortlessly cool leather.”
This is what KNWLS was about in this collection. Through the sensationalist moments and the underlying dread from the pressure to sell and serve, designers Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault took an opportunity to experiment with exaggerated shapes and fun textures. They took a half step away from the moody, indie-sleazy partywear the brand is notoriously known for to evolve their identity. Yet they remained true to their brand’s DNA by using body-snatching corsetry and effortlessly cool leather.
Capris flirted their way through this collection. There were capris of all shapes in the show. Low rise and high rise. Skinny, fitted, and baggy. Capris are easily one of the most controversial things happening in fashion at the moment, as they’re another unearthed relic of the trendy aughts. I think capris are another fashion statement we’ll grow to ironically love, like jorts, low-rise jeans, or denim in any form. KNWLS wanted to explore aspects of rage fashions and re-style them out of austerity and into something we’ll grow to love and live by.
The models had a powerful strut, their heels clacking against the hard concrete floor, echoing in ears and turning heads. The show space was minimalist. Bright artificial lighting. Plain porcelain white walls. Simple white benches for showgoers to perch on. The models’ hair was tied back in loose ponytails to fully showcase their festive yet moody makeup to match their zombified gazes. The beauty illustrated the need to produce and work over the desire for neatness. Cool, indie garage band music flooded the venue setting the story up for casual play- a night on the town. Earthy neutrals dominated this collection at first, until a wave of black wafted through. Then the collection brightened to mauve, a colour symbolizing openness and artistic ambition. Rich browns that married greens and yellows through camouflage sequin sets.
This to me shows how bleak working in fashion could be, but there is a brighter, fun future to reap at the end of the day.
