When asked on the spur of the moment which shows I enjoyed at LFW for autumn/winter by an American editor recently, the first name that popped into my head was Holly Fulton.
I’d been in New York for three years, and the publication I was on didn’t send anyone to cover the London collections, so I wasn’t particularly up-to-date with English fashion — sure you can look at images on-line, but you need to see clothes move on the body to really appreciate if they work — or not.
Running late for another show, I noticed Holly’s presentation was about to start. Sod it, I thought, and sprinted up stairs and down Somerset House’s winding corridors to a set of double doors — that were firmly shut. I could hear music & realised that what I thought was a static presentation was actually a salon show.
But the lovely lady guarding them took pity on my gasping tardyness, and slivered them open, letting me squeeze in behind a couple of photographers. Craning my neck I saw these beautiful, colourful dresses coming towards me, and was hooked. Simple, flattering shapes, obviously expensive fabrics, bold colours, and clever graphic prints all combined to make dresses that made me immediately start thinking not just about my wardrobe, but about how these clothes were directional yet infinitely appealing.
After studying at Edinburgh College of Art, Holly Fulton graduated from The Royal College of Art in 2007 with an MA in Fashion Womenswear. She made her debut in February 2009, & won the Swarovski Emerging Talent Award for Accessories at the British Fashion Awards 2009. She’s been awarded New Generation sponsorship for SS11, and I’m excited to see that she is showing on the runway on the official LFW schedule in a joint show with David Koma this September. This, I think, will be one of the hot tickets this season.
She’s stocked at Browns & Matches, London, and internationally at Off The Runway in Sydney, Liger in Hong Kong and at Maria Luisa. I wrote about Holly’s lovely collaboration with ASOS.com here (second entry).
Photographs: by me
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Can’t wait for Holly’s new collection, her designs always look fresh and I think she is truly unique at the moment. One to watch this year for definite x
Holly Fulton is an inspiration. Hard work and determination proven.
Just these two little glimpses look very interesting indeed. Looking forward to seeing what comes out at LFW.
I love Hollys designs she is so amazing and I love how she is inspired by architecture its so cool
I went to her first Fashion East show and her clothes really stood out amongst all the others I’d been to that season xx
I never heard of Holly before, but I’m loving these pictures, especially the way the graphic black designs pop on the yellow. I enjoyed reading your account of the show, especially this part, “But the lovely lady guarding them took pity on my gasping tardyness, and slivered them open, letting me squeeze in behind a couple of photographers. Craning my neck I saw these beautiful, colourful dresses coming towards me, and was hooked.”