By Edwardo Flores for Global Fashion News
You might know Jonathan Saunders for his exquisite take on prints, but his latest collection celebrated womanhood and all the contradictions that comes with it. Saunders was inspired by nineteen-fifties fashion icon Diana Dors, and the erotic sculptures of British artist Allen Jones. that sparked the designer to create a collection that felt feminine, albeit with a subversive S & M twist.
High glamour came in a much more abstract form, flowers bloomed at the hemline of an opening olive green full-skirted frock. Other floral motifs were worked in bonded sateen, sheer chiffon dresses or as patent-leather.cutouts fused onto felted wool. Saunders sent out 1950s fit-and-flare dresses with molded patent-leather bustiers and slim off-the-shoulder satin dresses with bra straps and pointy cups. The patent leather highlighted the hips, bust and waistline, challenging traditional lady-like silhouettes and toying with the bounds of good taste. Among the standouts was a sleek, fitted patent-leather long sleeve top paired with a ochre-yellow poodle skirt. A look that is sure to turn heads when walking down the street.
The combination of unlikely elements was at the heart of his collection. Saunders mixed fur, silk satin, luxurious wool, and patent-leather to create silhouettes with a wicked humor. This idea was best conveyed by a powder blue day-suit, made entirely out of sheared fur paired with a black patent-leather bustier. A tightly fitted shift dress made entirely out of shiny black patent-leather, pushed the raciness envelope, serving as a second skin.
Jonathan Saunders refreshing contradiction of sleek patent-leather mixed with traditional fabrics made for a fun romp through erotica, while sill preserving femininity and infusing it with an unexpected suggestive allure.
