ROKSANDA AUTUMN/WINTER 2015-16 READY-TO-WEAR LONDON

“ARE these what your school gyms are like?” asked American socialite Lauren Santo Domingo as she left the Roksanda Illinic show venue – a Thirties Art Deco leisure centre. Santo Domingo – co-founder of Moda Operandi – was sat front row at the show, to her left was the fashion investor Tana Fares and alongside her, the artist Julie Verhoven.

In short the Roksanda woman is multifarious – they are international powerhouses, galleristas, business women, creatives and beyond.

These women dress to be noticed, but also demand exquisite fit – cue the signature Roksanda wasp-waist dress coats, this time rendered in heavy, tussocky woven knits. This was about elevated fabrics, from the jacquard to the raw hemlines to the tweed and silk knits – nothing goes near the Roksanda woman’s skin unless it’s of the finest quality.

Strong colour has always been part of Roksanda’s DNA, and so to burgundy, royal blue, burnt orange raspberry and ochre in energetic, undulating swirls. From acid-coloured chubby furs to the soft suede shoes in brights, every piece was bestowed a bright, impactful energy.