Anderson seeks 'sanctuary' in London Fashion Week show

LONDON: Is the world becoming "hysterical"? British fashion designer Jonathan Anderson thinks so and offered an antidote with his new collection at London Fashion Week on Saturday, giving women a "sanctuary".

The 33-year-old designer's creations had a zen-like quality emphasising comfort, though not without elegance and even a bit of impertinence.

Anderson's shows are among the most closely-followed at London Fashion Weeks and the queue outside the door was like a who's who of British fashion.

"The main idea was to kind of ground everything," said Anderson, who is also artistic director for the Spanish accessories brand Loewe, owned by LVMH.

He said the designs were intended to show a "stillness" so that "no matter how hysterical things become everything will always have a ground level".

The collection was "like a sanctuary where it's calm before the storm," he said.

"I think we get very hysterical. I think media make us hysterical and I think sometimes you have to go back to basics."

The designs had a countryside feel to them, with plenty of comfortable dresses going below the knee and practical shoes that looked like walking boots.

The palette also had an earth-like quality with sky blue, pistachio green, tomato red and leather colours.

Anderson is a fan of paradoxes: the collection was both modern and classical, wise and bold, mixing vintage corset-like designs with sleeveless t-shirts.

Anderson, the son of former Ireland rugby international Willie Anderson, will be presenting a collection created for the Japanese brand Uniqlo next week.

"I'm obsessed by them. I wear their clothes on a daily basis," he said.

"So when they approached me it was like it was a no-brainer."

The other big catwalk on Saturday is Burberry.

This will be the first collection since the arrival of former Celine head Marco Gobbetti as chief executive with the task of boosting the brand.

On Sunday, fashionistas will be able to see Italian fashion icon Giorgio Armani at the Emporio Armani show, as well as TopShop and Versus Versace.

London Fashion Week will feature 80 catwalks across the city, bringing in 5,000 buyers, journalists and VIP guests, until Tuesday.