MATAR — London Fashion Week, Off The Catwalks

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Channelling that intoxicating blend of innocence and danger, Hind Matar concocted a collection around Coney Island and the mood of its heyday for her label MATAR.  On a quest for the lost youth of the 1950s, this season's thrill-seekers find themselves revelling in both the joy and the jitters of a faded funfair.

The loops and wooden scaffolding of the roller coasters; the candy stands; the frilly dresses; and the puffy skirts of the young girls running around – all have been commemorated in the clothes themselves.  Take the spinning ride, where people are plunged upside down and scream wildly with excitement.  To capture the momentum of that ride, suspenders and spaghetti straps have been twisted and draped on the garment before being transformed into cascades of whimsical ruffles. 

In other parts of the collection, there is an eager interplay between kids getting their first taste of grown-up fun, wearing their parent's oversized clothes that hang loose off the body, and adults trying to reclaim their youth by adorning themselves with youthful elements such as braces and naive bows.  Childlike longing, the carelessness of youth and a desire to never grow up are just a few of the seemingly discordant emotions that are mirrored in the rich textures of the fabric selection.  Colours range from cr

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