September 18th 2009 was obviously the start of another exciting London Fashion Week, with Derek Lawlor and Fluff PR getting the week off to a great start at Blackall Studios in Shoreditch. I’d hate for us to sound arrogant but…our showcase we put on for him was fantastic! The efficiently managed guest list meant that there were no ridiculous queues or disgruntled faces, and no one left due to impatience or disappointment. Walking into the venue before the show began, guests were shown into the ground floor gallery space, where illustrations by Alec Strang set the scene, before heading downstairs into the basement bar where the cocktails and beer flowed all night thanks to Arette tequila and Tiger beer.

Having previously shown his designs at the Central St. Martin’s graduate show and the first Dubrovnik Fashion Week in Croatia, this was Lawlor’s first independent London catwalk show, and it certainly surpassed expectations. The wax cord embellished cashmere dresses that first gained him attention were still present but this time there were also more wearable knitted cotton separates included, making his collection far more versatile. Commenting on his progression Lawlor says “I really like doing the editorial sort of stuff, but I also wanted to prove that the garments were wearable and women could wear them as every day pieces.” The monochrome colour palette remained, and the futuristic outfits being sent down the runway worked perfectly with the Manolo Blahnik shoes.


Specialising in knitwear not only allows Derek to create beautiful figure hugging creations, but it is also practical for him as a designer, allowing him to work rapidly and play around with new techniques. Lawlor explains the benefits saying “knitting is a very quick process and you can really experiment and do so much with it. It's such a wide medium that you can work with.” However, what really sets Lawlor apart from other designers is his unique wax chord decorative element, the distinctive spiralled discs being inspired by Japanese body armour. Lawlor likes the fact that his individual technique often intrigues because no one is sure how it’s done. He notes that it was this aspect of his work that gained him recognition after the Central St. Martin’s show in February 2009, “I'd been developing this process for quite a while and not many people knew about it so it was really great when people started to pick up on it and appreciate it.”

Focusing individually on the components of his clothes, Derek recalls how his vision came together in a very gradual way. Interestingly, one of the first designers who inspired him was Christian Lacroix; and this has been influential in terms of embellishment, but his interest soon shifted towards designers such as Thierry Muegler and Claude Montana because of the sculptural element of their pieces. “I just loved the amazing shapes they were producing,” enthuses Lawlor.

In terms of what the future holds for Derek Lawlor the possibilities are very exciting, especially considering that he is currently working on a collaborative collection that will see his designs in vibrant colours inspired by psychedelic swirling patterns. This next collection will provide new exposure for him, as well as pushing his whole aesthetic in a new direction. Since his September showcase he has attracted interest from the likes of On|Off and Vogue so he is definitely “one to watch”! Just don’t forget that you heard it from us first, yeah?

All photos courtesy of Danny Bourne.

Labels: Fashion