Witches, Gods, and Rebels Turned Grunge In Ashley Williams' SS24 Collection
The British designer returned to the London Fashion Week calendar after a two-year hiatus, welcoming us into her tongue-in-cheek universe.
British designer Ashley Williams marked her heroic return to London Fashion Week, seeing her take a two-year hiatus from the calendar. Williams’ tongue-in-cheek motifs have garnered attention worldwide, flipping traditional fashion on its head. Her runway was made possible by the support of Lulu Kennedy‘s Fashion East, instating the XLNC alumni programme powered by UGG.
Williams’ grandiose return was praised by local fashion crowds, welcoming them into Islington’s historic Collins Music Hall. The venue opened its doors in 1863, founded by Irish Vocalist and entertainer Sam Collins.
The designer’s quirky collection opened uncommon realms, seeing witches, gods, and rebels turn to the dark side. Williams unlocked the gates to her fantastical universe, allowing us to peek into her creative mind.
A cloaked witch began the show carrying a wizard crook in hand, followed by tattoo-covered models in hole-punctured dresses. Images of crucified Jesus were printed on structured garments dripping in blood, while 16th-century masks were made into facial recognition blockers with horror movie appeal.
2013 sci-fi film Hard To Be A God and Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal were channeled into the Spring/Summer 2024 collection that walked on sister lines. Williams’ cutesy identity was upheld in new ways as ribbon-printed mini dresses were slashed with mesh and laid beneath floor-length locks. Disorderly children’s drawings decorated poplin dresses in vibrant hues, while grunge baby dolls wore elongated head covers and Peter Pan-collared garments.
“YOU MUST DIE” tees, bewildering children graphics, and pixilated Hello Kitty markings completed the collection that pushed the barriers of art and fashion.
Take a closer look at Ashley Williams’ SS24 collection in the gallery above, and stay tuned for more London Fashion Week coverage on Hypebeast.
Elsewhere, LABRUM SS24 “NOMOLI ODYSSEY” was a sentimental celebration of Sierra Leone.
