Making the leap from presentation to show is a big step for any young designer. Will the scale up from an intimate showing to a full-blown catwalk mean a collection’s message is lost? Will sheer numbers make garments’ intricacy harder to discern? If Molly Goddard had any of these concerns running through her mind as she presented her first catwalk show at Topshop Space last night, she shouldn’t have. The exuberant show was one of her best yet.
Goddard’s collection was timely and poignant. In the wake of London’s continual nightclub closures, her offering was inspired by communities who “live for the weekend, using their clothes as a means to embrace freedom, escaping the mundanities of their working lives despite the decline of spaces and opportunities for this to take place.”
And for her own brand of club-wear, Molly approached spring/summer 17 with her signature fluoro tulle in mind but decidedly pushed things forward. She interspersed rainbow striped knits, ruched camo pants, smocked gingham and patchwork jersey with the work of iconic British photographer Nick Waplington, in between the dresses and at times layering them underneath in a way that felt genuine to the gleeful and uncomplicated girl at the heart of Molly’s world — the club her church and the dancefloor her altar.
Show or presentation, what is never missing from a Molly Goddard event is a sense of rhapsody. As the girls finished their turn on the runway, they gathered at the bottom of the catwalk and began to exuberantly dance. It reminded the packed audience of the joy in the simple things in life: getting up, getting dressed, going out, and looking fabulous!
Credits
Text Lynette Nylander
Photography Mitchell Sams