Leaf Xia – I SEE YOU

08-03-2016

I was looking forward to seeing Leaf Xia’s second collection showing at LFW, having been selected at Fashion Scout last season as ‘One to Watch’ with a stunning collection that attracted interest from Lady Gaga’s stylist.

Originally from China, now based in New York, Leaf’s signature is her bold palette and she certainly didn’t disappoint. A playful inventiveness with striking red, white and blue color combinations with layered neoprene fabric shapes sewn on top of each other, resembling a giant jigsaw montage (or multi-colored fried egg!). Each garment a contrasting fabric ensemble, and interesting departure from her first predominantly silk couture-finished collection, that included a Gingham check coat and dresses of varying hemlines all with playful color patches sewn on including smiling fish and cartoon characters.

lfw leaf xia monica lee

Having been inspired by the Japanese animated movie, ‘Spirited Away’, the collection entitled I See You is about the beauty of simplicity, taking the refreshing honesty of childhood imagery and cartoons, to communicate a direct, refreshing aesthetic, embodied in feminine, loose-fitting futuristic dresses with V shaped necklines, with a hint of Japanese Manga. You could almost sense the models enjoyed wearing these outfits for their own sake, as well as their uniquely imagined nature. It’s a collection that like the designer grows on you with each showing. More of this please.