Edward Crutchley’s namesake fashion line has always been about freedom, to mix anything he fancies into the collection, while his contributions at Dior Men under Kim Jones are more disciplined.
Marking his 10th anniversary on the London fashion calendar, Crutchley brought back some of his favorite patterns, such as animal prints and jacquard based on textiles from Byzantium. There was also a slew of historical references from England, France, Greece, Morocco, Indonesia, and Turkey that require heavy reading to understand, with a camp Tudor-era silhouette emphasizing the shoulders and a dash of cowboy fantasy with hats by Stephen Jones.
There was also latex whorled into an elaborately ruffled dress cut by frequent collaborator Oliver Haus, and an experiment that shows what lies ahead in the fashion industry: the motif of four stallions jumping out of a rising sun seen on the last two looks was created by artificial intelligence based on a Turkmen blanket Crutchley bought on eBay.
“It was a bit of a return to the origins of my brand. I was looking at a mix of global materials and cultures, bringing those together in a way that feels cohesive. It speaks of a lot of things, but it’s one message: the strength and width in texture,” added Crutchley.
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