Markus Lupfer has a knack for creating a mise-en-scène, and this season was no exception. The designer bedecked one of the Regency-era rooms at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts with a garden of hanging leaves and flowers — and even placed white bunnies in suspended globes — to evoke the ambience of a secret garden. “It’s a bit like a fairy tale,” he said, “with that darkness of a fairy tale, too.”
So while Lupfer worked plenty of sylvan motifs into his designs — such as a jacquard fabric woven with images of fawns, gnomes and squirrels — he tempered the cute factor by focusing on clean, sporty silhouettes for what he called a “cool, London girl.” A structured, V-neck tank dress was done in a claret-and-silver woodland jacquard, while boyish tailored pants came in a camolike floral jacquard. All the looks were worn with sneakers featuring glittery details. The shine and embellishment, which also included large, graphic crystals that sparkled on a black V-neck minidress, lent a luxe edge to the easy, youthful designs.