Jonathan Saunders got more colourful than ever for his SS16 collection.

Hot Hues

A bright palette of reds and yellows could be seen in all their vivid glory in Johnathan Saunders’s venue: a semi-transparent plastic greenhouse which allowed the light (and the heat) to soar in and illuminate his summer-ready designs. These shades didn’t just sing on their own though, they were meshed against each other in unique and surprising ways – light brown and blue found themselves alternating in a diagonal stripe while crimson and a super-feminine pink pattern were also thrown together with delicious abandon.

Effortful Effortlessness

Beyond the colour that has become Saunders’ trademark, a new speciality shined through this time: the bias cut. Infamously demanding, technically speaking, the designer himself exclaimed “what a nightmare!” when it came to talking about the signature cut of this collection. A nightmare to pull off, perhaps, but the finished products were a heavenly dream: it gave everything a fluent, carefree elegance that perfectly complimented the exotic glamour of the pieces.

Culture Clash

And exotically multicultural they were; African inspired batik prints cropped up, as did some wonderful takes on the kimono cut that were somewhere between jackets and tops and were tied with degage elegance at the waist with printed belts. All in all it was an inspired season for Saunders and with greater financial investment for his brand this year, it’s good to know that his creativity is as strong as his business.