Sci-fi dystopia meets granny chic at Matty Bovan AW18

[M]atty Bovan’s debut solo show was a colourful reminder of why London is at the epicentre of fashion creativity; a standout collection that was part Mad Max, part Sixties Socialite.

The York-based designer’s new take on ladylike dressing for AW18 – think robust custom-tweeds, pearl necklaces, Hound-tooth check jackets and layered skirts stuffed with tulle – were heavily inspired by Bovan’s late grandmother’s wardrobe. “The greatest style lesson I learned from her [my grandmother]? Never let them see you sweat!” Matty tells us backstage, before he heads to Chinatown for his afterparty at Ichibuns. 

The MB girl is a warrior and thrill-seeker to the core. But a modern romanticism was running through this collection more than ever (“Wuthering Heights was a big reference for me,” he adds). Hyper-feminine silhouettes were disrupted with dystopian folklore elements, holographic accents and bold geometric prints a la the carpets in The Shining. Avant-gardism was not in short supply for the final looks, styled with more-is-more balloon headpieces specially made by Stephen Jones.

“In previous seasons, as the day of the show has approached, I’ve looked at the collection and tried to pull back from the extremes that I tend to go to,” Matty says. “But this time I haven’t held back at all.”