We presented our SS17 Womenswear collection at London Fashion Week on Friday 16th September 2016. The Poetry of Colour was revealed at our Soho show to an audience that were excited to see the latest Womenswear designs from John Smedley.

Inspired by British Brutalist architecture, neon pops of colour and a subtle contrasting pastel story is the theme for The Poetry of Colour.

British poet; Gretta Bellamacina created Silent Riot: The Journey of Sea Island Cotton especially for The Poetry of Colour. It provided the perfect backdrop for our presentation, illuminating every inch of the wall that it graced.  The room, brought to life through Gretta’s expressive literature; provided an insight to the story behind John Smedley’s Poetry of Colour and gave subtle nods to the brands synonymous relationship with quality fibres.

Throughout our two hour presentation 9 models presented John Smedley’s latest fully knitted looks. The SS17 colour palette was on display: subtle pastel hues of Keeling Pink, Skyline Blue, Terrill Green, Hayward Blue and Madin yellow were contrasted beautifully with the neon pop of Gaudi Blue, Electric Purple, Zaha Green, Gehry Orange and Renzo Pink.

The 9 looks on show were a coupling of our Spectrum and Luxury Essentials range, demonstrating how our garments can be worn in unison. The presentation illustrated beautifully the innovation of our design team and the undoubted capabilities of our highly skilled craftsmen.

Our SS17 Poetry of Colour collection is made up of Spectrum and Luxury Essentials. Both lines were influenced by the British Brutalist architecture movement which can be noticed subtly in the build of these styles .

The key features of Spectrum are noticeable in the build of the styles. Varying pattern pieces in a range of gauges achieve a contemporary style edge that befits it’s Brutalist inspiration. The styles epitomised what a John Smedley garment should be; sleek and understated at a first glance – then when a closer look is taken the attention to detail and intricate patterns are clearly visible.

Luxury essentials showcases a modern twist on the classic John Smedley design. Longer body lengths were indicative of this collection, coupled with fits that grace the body rather than hug it, establishing a finish that is worthy of both a John Smedley garment and it’s Brutalist architecture connotations.

The Luxury Essentials range features garments that host all needle fabric  – a first for John Smedley. This sleek style demonstrates the craftsmanship capabilities of John Smedley and the quality of our fibres. The quality of our Merino Wool eliminates the need for a hem; which allowed us to flaunt thiscontemporary design. Our extra-fine Merino wool maintains the shape of the all needle fabric, bringing a level of permanence, in terms of quality and style relevance.

The inspiration of British Brutalist architecture was noteable throughout the John Smedley presentation, from the striking silhouette of our Soho space to the contemporary lines and shades that our new styles provided.

Key staple pieces Purcell, Chapman, Faulkner and Beckett were on show and were favoured for their intricate pattern designs and varying gauges. These styles flattered their architectural stimulus and create layered looks that are reflective of their construction.