Molly Goddard hasn’t done a runway show IRL in five whole seasons, which corresponds to a few decades in fashion years. The British designer, just like everybody else, was hit hard by the pandemic, which caused London Fashion Week to shift exclusively to digital for most of 2020 and 2021.
Fans of Molly Goddard were especially disappointed, considering the Londoner’s penchant for high-concept, high-drama displays — in prior seasons, she had staged tea parties and banquets for the Frow, complete with martinis.
The 33-year-old kept things a bit more simple this season, staging a traditional catwalk at the Seymour Leisure Centre in central London. The show’s arrangement, which consisted of nothing but rows of white benches and a raised runway, allowed Goddard’s garments to take the spotlight without the grandeur that has been synonymous with LFW.
The collection was inspired by Molly’s own youth, Portobello market in the 80s and 90s and the London scene of that era. “Our mum’s best friend when we were younger was very central to the Portobello social scene then and the collection is somewhat based around her,” Molly noted. “I would describe her from what I can remember as a cross between Marilyn Monroe and Mick Jones — big bleached blonde hair with a flower in it, red lipstick, a 50s dress with an army jacket and trainers.”
This resulted in a collection of lively pieces and daywear, as well as a virtuoso presentation of what makes Molly such an important element of London’s fashion industry: a blend of energy and wearability. A pale yellow two-piece knitted cardigan, cut long with frills of enormous tulle skirting spilling from underneath, characterised the collection in a way; it wasn’t ostentatious, but both practical and stylish.
There was also a lot of fair isle knitwear, chunky boots, and cosy cardis. Molly has also become associated with the aforementioned milky yellow and a vibrant neon pink, both of which appeared throughout the collection.
“The overall look is eclectic, here’s-what-I-found-down- the-market,” said Molly. “There is a familiarity to this collection and the objects in it — each garment having a simplicity to it but each elevated into something special.”
Courtesy of Molly Goddard
The collection ultimately stayed true to what Molly Goddard consumers love most – her ruffly party dress, but this time they were a little more practical to combat the current weather and with a plethora of cosy outerwear to endure a winter with no heating in the UK.