“THIS is just a way of thinking about the past, the present and the future”, said Matty Bovan when asked about the research behind his AW19 show being grounded on folklore and myth. Spending six months researching the Pendle Witch Trials of 1612, Bovan explored wizardry, healing and rituals and our unusual approach to life after death. His AW19 collection twisted the traditional to produce a unique and magical discovery of Englishness. Linking folk traditions of the past, and how they were spun to control people, to today’s approach to a family bereavement, and the promise to becalm the nerves of those suffering from lost with the sale of the deceased’s furniture, is a clever way of unpicking the fabric of British civilisation. Has the element of control really improved in society?
Known for his eccentric designs and colourful palette, Matty Bovan’s AW19 collection took this even further, but with a darker tone. Unlike the pastel Alice in Wonderland playfullness of his last collection, this season was more sinister, rich with dark and dishevelled knitwear. Collaborating with Liberty London, Bovan selected patterns such as their Tana Lawn and reimagined them with etching from nails and exaggerated draping. Contrasting patterns and materials were patched together to form incredible ballgowns, bolstered with tulle and foam padding. Sequinned dragons, another reference to myths of the past, are delicately placed , simultaneously being lost and found as the models strode down the runway and caught the light.
Never one to shy away from his roots, Matty Bovan set the collection against a backdrop fashioned from the impressions of the Yorkshire stately home, Burton Agnes Hall, created by artist Rory Mullen. Bovan’s ability to grasp, analyse and then conceptualise the county that we live in, is a feat in itself. Talking about the headwear, made by Stephen Jones for Coach x Matty Bovan, this season featuring Coach Signature fabric, Bovan said they were, “hats through the ages”. His shoulder frills with Edwardian neckline, designed in both traditional fit and also a modern cropped and deconstructed version, also worked as a nod to Bovan’s “through the ages” approach.
One of the finale dresses, a crochet ballgown with black plastic corset and silver threading was a standout look. It encapsulated the history of fashion, referring both to the regal gowns from the 1800s whilst also celebrating unusual fabrics from the millennium and the modernity of Matty Bovan design. This disruption of new and old, hard and soft, is what makes Matty Bovan a favourite of mine at LFW. Each show gets bolder, each show gets more refined, and each show is a reminder of his raw strengthening talent.
by Lily Rimmer