A concept designer whose bold collections I genuinely look forward to seeing every season is
Ada Zanditon (pictured above with her collection), whose talent and international renown has gone stratospheric since I was first introduced to her work in October 2009 through a writing assignment for
Amelia's Magazine. Taking a different approach for this AW11 season, Zanditon's collection, entitled
The Cryoflux, premiered with a short film inspired by the collection (directed by Andrew and William Ho), accompanied by a static presentation at
On|Off's new show space at The Mercer Studios. As a must-attend event off-schedule, Ada's presentation created so much buzz that guests had to queue to take pictures of each mannequin in a very orderly and classically British fashion.
Season after season Zanditon continues to show why she's at the forefront of ethical fashion, winning awards for her pioneering, creative and intellectual approach to womenswear. Continuing to persu her trademark aesthetic for sculptural and architectural design, this season Zanditon takes inspiration from the extreme climates of Antarctica. Reflected through a cool colour palette of navy, marine and flame, Zanditon plays to her strengths utilising the fluidity and structural elements of her heavily textured fabrics: melton wool, Scottish tweed, Ocean Buckingham shantung, firebird, marine double ombre chiffon and black vegetable tanned leather – bet you've never heard of some of those fabrics before!
With fewer garments showcased than I recall seeing in previous seasons, the collection had a great impact none-the-less, with many of the bloggers, fashion editors and stylists in attendance 'coo'ing over each and every piece. With a strong collection of show stopper dresses (perhaps out shining the separates), references to the natural formation of unbroken Antarctic waterfalls were bountiful. Eye-catching separates included the garbadine flared shorts and a stunning double silhouette maxi skirt. Coats also featured heavily, as you'd expect from a winter collection, with a variety on offer to suit any occasion (military, pea, trench and puffa), geometrically cut in an endless variety of digital prints and glacial silks. Building upon their prior collaborations, once again Zanditon has teamed up with chic jewellery designer
Luca Romanyi to produce a magnificent range of geometric statement necklaces, created using a combination of printed tiles, silver chain and vegetable tanned leather.
Not necessarily how I would have chosen to present en mass on the inaugural day of
LFW, somehow it worked, and yet again Ada Zanditon has triumphed, proving ethical and sustainable fashion can be just as chic, visionary and exciting as non, if not a hundred times better
– and as an added bonus you get to enjoy your wardrobe with a squeaky clean conscience.
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