Everything has changed at Matthew Williamson—and nothing has changed at Matthew Williamson. Following Fall ’15’s excellent show, the designer and his team stepped back, exited the London Fashion Week schedule, took stock, then made a radical action that prefigures all of the see-now-buy-now hoo-ha currently convulsing the industry. They went straight to the consumer, cutting all wholesale clients except for two: Net-a-Porter and the soon-to-launch Style.com. That those two retailers are e-tailers is telling, because Williamson simultaneously shuttered his store in London to channel almost all of their in-house sales efforts through their own MatthewWilliamson.com e-store. Almost? Well, there are clients—especially dedicated clients—who still like to feel the clothes and inhale the atmosphere of a house: For them, Williamson has a new showroom in Queen’s Park that is richly furnished, Williamson wallpapered, and accessorized by a stuffed peacock named Wayne.
The man himself was away shooting his furniture designs (another new venture) today, but his artistic director, Georgie Macintyre, showcased a womenswear collection that observed all the jet-set-boho-deco codes of the house. A monochrome maze jacquard on tailored pants, a long split skirt, and an embellished bomber provided the hard edge to contrast wide-sleeved, toucan-embroidered silk caftan smocks; a multicolored marble-print shirtdress; and a miniskirt in rich tiers of tuft and bead. Candy shade chiffon gowns featured amply swooshable skirts and beaded snake or bug details at the neck or waist.
Matthew Williamson women want what they want—what’s changed is how they want to get it. So Williamson changed with them. This collection, naturally, is pretty much all available for sale already.
