Chalayan AW20

Words - Taj Hayer 

Simple and beautiful, Hussein Chalayan’s autumn collection was perfect evidence of why he is one of London’s most interesting designers. 

Set in the brands Mayfair store, Audition 1 was an exercise in form and function, where even the most avant-garde of designs, being highly wearable. Models walked to an ice cool voice telling them to walk left and make no eye contact. It would be hard not to be confident in these clothes. Whilst the clothes from afar could look to be clinical, the close up beauty of them is hard to deny. 

Standout pieces include the  superbly fluid opening black bodysuit, weighty dark wool coats and trousers with exaggerated pleats. Inspired by the Aboriginal pieces of Australia, and the routes across land being marked out by signing, original prints included an Aboriginal dot art design and satellite imagery of London. Above all, this collection was a demonstration in what classic menswear tailoring with a twist really looks like, as shapes were folded and layered to create clothes that make you want to look, touch and try. 

Explore further at Chalayan.