Stefan Cooke’s SS22 show had one message; It’s time to bring great clothes back again
Stefan Cooke has arrived with one challenge on his mind – to bring great clothes back again. His method? Razor-sharp silhouettes, unsullied precision and un-compromised quality.
DESIGNER: STEFAN COOKE
SEASON: Spring/Summer 2022
EVENT: London Fashion Week
LOCATION: The Selfridge Hotel, London
The CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS-educated designer revealed his SS22 collection, alongside assistance from his partner Jake Burt, on Monday at The Old Selfridges Hotel, announcing to the world that, this season, transience is out of fashion. “The fleeting is substituted for the enduring,” the show’s press release read, with Cooke looking inwards into perfecting and refining his signature styles, rather than succumbing to the noise of seasonal trends and ephemeral spectacles.
It wouldn’t be a British Summer without a coat on hand, something Cooke evidently took into consideration when crafting the collections’ lightweight zip-ups. Showing off the legs is still key though, with the jackets being paired alongside frayed-hem shorts and pulled-up socks, emphasising the stream of slender pins strutting through the studio. Practicality up top, party on the bottom.
Upbeat, high-tempo thumps thundered off concrete walls, while models weaved their way through an onlooking audience. Though is it really a Cooke collection if we aren’t left with a feeling of ambiguity? In this case, it was cheekbones tucked away neatly under a menagerie of leather baker-boy hats. A quintessentially British accessory, with an added dash of sex appeal for good luck.
Cooke’s trademark stamp, wrap detailing, made its comeback in the form of tightly bound tops, accentuating the models’ sleek torsos. A style not for the fainthearted or after a three-course meal, but one that oozed confidence and playfulness with its techniques. SS22 also welcomed the arrival of the chainmail’s cooler, sexier counterpart; enlarged, cast-iron sequins fashioned into architectural tank tops, complete with a crisp white blazer slung over to finish.
As the saying goes; nobody does knits like Cooke. And this season was no different. Traditional sweaters were emblazoned with Union Jack detailing, a heart-warming homage to the label’s hometown, where cable-knit appliques were moulded into buttery jerseys. A stark contrast to the industrial vibes of the sequins and jaw-skimming collars also presented in the showcase.
Revered for their attention to detailing when it comes to accessories, the brand swapped its typical statement straps for a sleeker style; one being a well-crafted, tan and white leather bowling bag. But Cooke still made room for one signature shoulder strap, made from steel welded into a string of stars – the show was named Gimme an S!, after all.
Cooke’s collection celebrated the sensibilities of militance and authority, while still feeling fun, spirited and full of youthful vigour. Say what you want about Britain, but there is one thing that Cooke’s collection proves about the country for certain - we know how to do fashion, and we know how to do it well.
Images courtesy of Stefan Cooke.
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