Mr. Smith for London Fashion Week SS20

In early September, the Mr. Smith International Creative Team headed to London Fashion Week (LFW) where collections for the spring-summer 2020 season were revealed. Mr. Smith products featured across runway shows from names including Richard Quinn, Sports Banger, A.W.A.K.E. and Jamie Wei Huang.

RICHARD QUINN
Featuring puffball shoulders, vibrant florals and oversized bows, UK designer Richard Quinn’s spring collection paid homage to Queen Elizabeth in what was an exercise in pure fantasy and escapism. Quinn’s dramatic gowns arrived with tulle capes, lattice details and carpet prints, paired with an equally dramatic live performance by the London Philharmonic Orchestra in what was one of LFW’s most inspired shows.

Taking his inspiration from candy, Hair Lead James Pecis used Mr. Smith products to create a series of regal looks, with soft cropped curls featuring. James prepped hair with Mr. Smith Mousse, blowing out roots to ends then braiding out hairlines in a circular shape and finishing off with Mr. Smith Hairspray.

JAMIE WEI HUANG
Taiwan-born designer Jamie Wei Huang’s SS20 collection namechecked OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, a disorder from which the designer openly suffers) to celebrate the detail – from head to toe.

Seen were raised waistlines, mesh knitwear, sheer fabrics and chunky footwear, along with chains, buckles and handmade beaded pouches and shearling cross-body bags adding to the meticulous “detail”.

Hair Lead Chiao Chenet met Huang’s OCD brief to create a series of dishevelled, wind-swept looks that were anchored with small, messy French twists before being blown in random directions. Chiao prepped models’ hair with Mr. Smith Texture Spray before back-combing and applying mini crimpers and brushing out. He then took multiple random sections, forming messy mini French twists and blowing the ends out in random directions, fixing the look with Mr. Smith High Hold Hairspray.

SPORTS BANGER
Entitled ‘Pop Culture is Trash,’ Guerrilla collective Sports Banger’s spring collection showing was a frenetic mash-up of politics, music, hedonism and humour. Featuring a series of bold newsprints and bootlegged logos along with a booming soundtrack, the show left the crowd both laughing and screaming for more.

Luke Lietch at US Vogue declared the experience to be: “…akin to, say, going to Blitz, the Wag, Kinky Gerlinky, Taboo, or Soul II Soul way back when, or maybe spitting and snarling with the punks in the ’70s…” – with models cheekily snatching smartphones from members of the front row, mid-parade.

In response, Hair Lead Sarah Jo Palmer looked to late 1990s and early 2000s popular culture (think ‘90s catwalk-era Christy, Cindy and Naomi meets ‘00s-era J-Lo and Gwen Stefani) and: “pushed it to the excess” with exaggerated volume, high ponies and ‘90s-style twists all appearing. Sarah Jo used a range of our products, including the Mr. Smith Texture Spray to help section twists; Mr. Smith Volumising Spray to achieve excessive 90s volume; and Mr. Smith Hairspray to finish and hold each look.

A.W.A.K.E.
Featuring elements razor-shard asymmetric tailoring, intricate pleats and body-hugging silhouettes (seen in a strict palette of black, white and delicate nudes – with the odd pop of red) the SS20 collection from A.W.A.K.E. embodied a curious, seductive appeal.

Combining “a knowing mix of androgyny and hyper-femininity,” Moscow-born designer Natalia Alaverdian’s label continues to remove the barriers between daywear and evening; introducing “elegant wit and subtle strangeness” into the wardrobes of her dedicated following.

Hair Lead Louis Ghewy took an approach that was “bare and clean – with a twist,” styling models’ hair minimally and finishing with zig-zag headbands inspired by early-2000s David Beckham. Louis started by prepping models’ hair with Mr. Smith Mousse before blow-drying and tying off into ponytails. He also used Mr. Smith Hairspray up-close to moisten the hairline before placing the comb-like headbands for maximum zigzag effect.

Take a closer look at all the SS20 runway looks here.

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Style. Substance.

Mr. Smith