LFW Day 6 (Menswear): Aitor Throup Presentaion

And then to Russell Square to see Aitor Throup's presentation. This was a retrospective of his work from 2004-2010.

We walked in and were instantly impressed with the layout of the show, it seemed more like we had come into an art gallery than a fashion presentation. There were life-size mesh figures suspended from the ceiling, all in hunched poses. Despite the collection being called 'legs', it took us a minute to realise that the only garments being displayed were trousers. These trousers were pieces from collections that he had produced over the last 6 years.

The show was split into each different collection and concept. The first we looked at was entitled, 'The Funeral of New Orleans'(2007). It represented a marching band in the midst of the destruction of New Orleans. The trousers were displayed on figures in the correct pose for the instrument they played. All were made in the same wool but had been exposed to water for different time periods to allow for shrinkage. Then placed in order accordingly. Instruments had been covered in the same wool and were held high as if to protect them from the rising water levels.

'When Football Hooligans Become Hindu Gods'(2006) was based on a story created by Throup about death of a British Hindu boy after a racist attack of a group of football hooligans. It looked at the remorseful hooligans who had turned to the Hindu faith to look for redemption. The trousers in this collection were made from Harris tweed, a symbol of British heritage. They were replicas of military garments that evolve into a depiction of a Hindu god.

What was great to see at the presentation, that you wouldn't notice on the catwalk was the attention to detail. Many pieces had no inside seams, as in sportswear, which allowed for a more sculptural shape. Also, topstitching made a feature of seams and contour lines.

Throup's trademark is to include feet in his trousers as he doesn't believe that a garment has to be cut off at the ankle or wrist. We really love this feature of his work as we are both really interested in functional fashion and being able to create your own environment within your clothes.

Definitely the most thought provoking show. Every one of Throup's collections had a interesting, unusual concept, which he had explored fully in his designs.

He is currently working on a ready to wear collection, as until now he has never sold any of his own pieces. We cannot wait.

Lucy & Loz xx