Rena Niamh Smith

Expounding the simple vision of mid-century architecture, E.Tautz SS16 was all about clean lines and minimal colours. For SS16, E Tautz added a new chapter to British designers’ book of self infatuation. Patrick Grant used as starting point the Festival of Britain. This was the first Labour government’s attempt to celebrate British technology and design and to promote a feeling of recovery on the centenary of the Great Exhibition following the Second World War.

James Long takes us to rave in Brighton wearing ruffles and clashing psychedelic prints. The soundtrack by Death in Vegas and Tori Amos set the scene of rock star dressing room for James Long’s SS16 collection as the first tousle-haired model emerged. Cotton chinoiserie paisley prints on ruffle shirts, waitcoats and clashing prints in psychedelic shades were worn easy over wide leg pants. “Unashamed” was a key word in this show

Matthew Miller’s crumpled take on frayed at the edges workwear will have you eager to do overtime. For SS16, Matthew Miller riffed on that self-imposed modern uniform that millions wear every day – namely, workwear – and made us all wish we worked in an office. Slender models with the blank stare of the desktop drone moved monotonously to Savages’ words: “don’t let the fuckers get you down, don’t let them wonder why you frown”. Wide and double-breasted jackets were worn with cropped pants.