Michael van der Ham has been weightlifting a lot in the past few months, which could explain the new muscle in his Spring collection, an outing that marked a significant step forward for him. It s the first time he has shown outside of the Topshop or BFC venues, and to be sure, cutting the apron strings from Lulu Kennedy, the woman who discovered him, means a newfound responsibility—one that he s embraced with open arms.
This season he was inspired by Jackie Nickerson s book Farm, a photographic essay of Africans dressed in exotic fabrics. "I was riveted by the images," the designer said backstage. "They had such a way with working with fabric and body cover." And so does he: The multilayered patchwork thing he s known for was executed here with an almost scientific precision. With the early looks out—mash-ups of zebra prints, leopard, lime, and coral—he reinforced his signature, only with a more rigorous hand than before.
Then mid-show came the aha moment: a navy dress precisely, almost aggressively cut, but without that mismatched thing that has become his leitmotif. It s guaranteed to create a lot of interest on the shop floor. After that dress it was a bit of a comedown; a pair of evening gowns in particular didn t have the same finesse as that killer navy dress. But van der Ham had made his point about moving on—and it was duly noted.
