Mixing statement-making fashion with representation of a deeply personal journey, Dilara Findikoglu spring summer 2023 was a must watch for London Fashion Week attendees, excited to see the evolution of the label’s ravaged regency-core aesthetic for the new season…
Findikoglu might one of the newer names on the schedule, but she's definitely one you need to know. Throughout LFW there was a switch where female, Gen Z designers, owned the shows and rewrote a formerly male-led narrative on what femininity and female sexuality entails for 2023 and beyond. Enticing her maaaaaay-jor celebrity fanbase with artisan-level construction and a solid commercial commitment, Findikoglu is rewriting the playbook for today’s design talent and launched swimwear this summer, inspired by 18th century corseting (and which Bella Hadid was quick to pose in…)
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The show took place in an empty hotel, due to be knocked down, and as guests filled the empty rooms we waited for the music to begin to signal the start of the show… But nothing came. This was a show soundtracked by silence. Showing the collection without music made a powerful statement. As the dresses rustled and swished past you, you could hear their trains snagging on the exposed floorboards and every footstep of the models resonated around the empty rooms. It made the audience focus on the fabrics, the details, the intention and the construction behind their creation.
And construction is something that Findikoglu excels at. Her corsetry has become a signature, laced in tight to the brands’ DNA. The corsets are the perfect symbol of the glam grunge mood that London fell for this season.
Raw edged elements were mixed with warm colours and silky finishes while jewellery dangled from headpieces that chimed as the models walked. Those trains (we spotted a few this week) are proving to be a signature too, while there was one chilling look where the model was wrapped in tulle, echoing the entrapment that garments can bestow on us. Conversely Dilara looked at how garments can give us freedom, which was evidenced in a completely sheer column dress. Some of the fabrics were upcycled from original Victorian tapestry and vintage Union Jack flags. We love to see it.
It was at once raw, punk and unsettling while also presenting a couture level of detail. Some of the pieces took six months to bring to reality so these aren’t frocks you’ll pick up to wear on a Friday night (nor are they so basic there will be dupes on the high street before the weekend comes.)
Instead, Dilara’s coterie of celebrity fans - as well as Bella, Maisie Williams, Madonna, Rihanna and Kylie Minogue have all worn the label - and will continue to support the designer’s vision. The impact of Dilara Findikoglu spring / summer 2023 will trickle down into our consciousness and stay there, etching a mark on our brains for some time to come…
Read more from Glamour UK Fashion Director at large Alex Fullerton here or follow her on Instagram @alexandrafullerton
