Design duo, Laurence Li and Chico Wang invited us into their world of pure imagination—think Alice in Wonderland meets The Stepford Wives. The collection featured a grand mix of hand-woven tweed, plush faux-fur, luxurious silk, and embellished denim. Mirroring the brand’s philosophy of creating looks for those who like to stand out and make an entrance, their FW18 collection is not for the faint of heart, or faint of ruffles, for that matter.
After Laurence took the ideas from thought to paper, Chico brought them to life with extensive design and tailoring. Their objective for creating statement pieces derived from the feeling of nostalgia and fun of proportion-play. The couple’s main inspiration for this collection? Their childhood stuffed animals and their two French Bulldogs, Pearl and Button.
The presentation featured 21 looks, highlighting an exciting combination of flattering and gender-fluid silhouettes worn by both male and female models. Layers upon layers of flamboyant ruffles mingled with plaid patterns made of pearls. Delicate, sheer chiffon in shades of white and black played with heavy, voluptuous faux-fur of blue and grey hues. Jewel-toned violets and blushes subtly contrasted the dark greys and blacks. Though the colors were understated, the looks held their bold intention, as focus was immediately drawn to the silhouettes and details.
Between form-fitting separates, flowy dresses, and oversized outerwear, Laurence & Chico gave their audience a little bit of everything. Pearl embellishments, a brand signature, starred on nearly every look, proving that pearls aren’t strictly feminine.
The main pieces weren’t the only magical touches going-on in the show—accessories played a major role in pulling the playful presentation together. Models were clad in bold wigs, oversized faux-fur newsboy hats, athleisure-style baseball caps reading “FEED ME” and “GROOM ME,” and pearl-embellished top hats.
The presentation featured another little twist: furniture made by the designers themselves. Laurence & Chico debuted their hand-carved, custom furniture inspired by the FW18 collection, which is set to launch in Fall 2018.
In attendance of the presentation were marvels including Patricia Field, Miss J Alexander, Nigel Barker, Shaun Ross, and The Clermont Twins.
Please click on the image carousel to view the looks optimally.
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Written by Kelsey Tucker
Photography credit to BFA, courtesy of Factory PR