Milo Maria, known for their lush graphic shapes and sharp tailoring, does contemporary cool oh-so-well. There is an aura of confidence around the presentation and a clear image of the modern woman that will feel comfortable in Milo Maria.
The considered collection was a sea of cascading velvet, trumpet sleeves, frayed chunky knits and Victorian collars. With grey suits, army green jumpers and maroon midi dresses these were definitely the new staples for a modern woman. The presentation was creating all kinds of buzz with a queue of people, impatiently waiting at the King’s College location.
Through exploring many facets of design, Milo Maria has succeeded in conjuring up innovative takes on everyday wear. The collection uses Victorian costume as a starting point, and shuffles into fetish wear by modernising Victorian garment details. The fetish aspect is seen through patent leather skirts, jackets, trousers and collars that spice up an otherwise sweet and charming collection. Ribbons and ties are used here, but as straps hanging from the waist and wrapped around wrists, to constrain as a part of the Victorian influence but also seduce.
She plays with contrasting textures effectively in this showcase by combining crushed velvet with suede, and cotton shirts with black leather. It creates something fresh and intriguing, and while the clothing is wearable, styled right it becomes an undeniably arresting look. First and foremost however, it’s a study in colour and the how different tones play with each other as well as emphasise texture. Even though this was Milo Maria’s first time doing knitwear, she did it with a spin that re-awakened a sense of hope for knitwear design.
The set was one of the highlights of the presentation, as the models were situated in an office setting, handing out cash, dealing with clients and most importantly, being in control. There were All-Bran cereal boxes on the floor, messy papers everywhere and computers circa 1980s. This tied the feel of the collection to intellectual integrity, and gave it an added feel of context. Comparing the simplest things of shiny with matte, chunky with form-fitting, and concealing with revealing, it is a real collection of contradictions in the best way possible.
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