The inversions that climate change is causing in nature are grabbing attention in every other arena, so why should fashion be an exception? Todd Lynn s inspiration was twofold. The hunter captures and wears his prey, then the tables are turned: The hunter is captured and caged by the game. In other words: Nature finds a way to deal with man. It was an admirable and—in its own dark way—reassuring message, but it was somewhat obscured by Lynn s sinfully sumptuous materials. The hunter s prey was symbolized by fox furs from Saga, which the designer draped, shruglike, over a taupe leather jacket or a felted wool coat. The cages were a little easier to cope with. They were woven leather, exaggeratedly straddling the torso.
You ll notice that, in both instances, the emphasis was on the shoulder. Lynn went for a pagoda silhouette in his more "low-key" pieces, like the wool jacket with linebacker leather inserts, or the gray jersey jacket that also featured built-out leather shoulders. The combination of cloth and skin was a step forward in a softening of Lynn s usual hyper-tailored aesthetic. Another significant advance with this collection was the overall use of leather, braided into strikingly dramatic outerwear. Climate change or not, Lynn continues to cover a narrow waterfront, but he s mastered a balance between provocation and desirability. And, although they were separated in today s front row by his old boss Roland Mouret, we have him to thank for London fashion week s oddest (semi-)couple: Janet Jackson and Soft Cell s Marc Almond. Imagine the sweet but strange music they d make together.
