Jorce 
We can thank Prada for the neon lights at SS19, Valentino for saturated dresses, and Marc Jacobs for bolder shoulders and hats. Each is a feature of their AW18 collection (although the Valentino haute couture in July really put the Crayola color on the map), and most of the fashion shows in London this season have one or all three.
In Rejina Pyo, there are neon mint devoré silks and ice blue gauze, adding to the interest of the sweet beige series, where Korean-born designers also showed great sunlight. In Roksanda there are details of a fluoro yellow scarf, as well as fluorescent yellow, orange and pink flowing evening dresses. Emilia Wickstead showed a fuchsia and citrus evening dress and a wide-shoulder suit.
No one can be accused of chasing the trend – these collections are their own. But what’s interesting is that in this world of non-specific equipment across the world, themes can still dominate.
For Erdem Moralioglu, neon is just a focus in the collection, focusing on another theme: transposition. This season, designers are exploring gender and identity – the clothes we use to show off and the hidden clothes.
His method is more academic than some academics. Following the relocation of the house to Bloomsbury, Moralioglu was hit by a license to commemorate the Victorian “sisters” Stella and Fanny: early gay rights advocates and cross dresser Frederick Parker And Ernest Bolton, who was arrested in 1870 for serious embarrassment and was acquitted of a highly public court case.
This discovery led him to the National Portrait Gallery, where he further studied the changes of the Victorian era, and his SS19 was a tribute to the male and female transgenders of this era.
The masculine tailoring, Edwardian slippers and double-breasted blazer all feature a large veiled bow cap, a bodice top and a gorgeous floral dress and ruffles. A luxurious lace dress is placed high above the neck, sweeping across the floor with an inflated sleeve on the arm. The two men who sneaked into the runway – “Stella and Fanny” – were just different because of their furry legs.
This dress is a bold and dramatic move by British designers, known for its soft and beautiful dresses. Although this series is not so obvious wearable, my heart is a story. The craft combines Victorian garment technology with more contemporary materials such as jackets, inverted and underwater jackets. The fashion world has a crush on narrative – this is a cracker.
Christopher Kane has no neon lights, and he has been using it as part of his signature for the past ten years. He once told me that he would attribute any ideas he saw elsewhere – this could be a big challenge for a show.
