At London Fashion Week in September 2011, Holly Fulton produced a strong and coherent sartorial narrative for spring/summer 2012 that took inspiration from influences as diverse as London's Carnaby Street in the 1960s, Versace patterns and tailoring of the 1980s, the arid landscapes of Africa, and the wonders of sea flora. If the mixture of such disparate imagery would be difficult to manoeuvre for most, in Fulton's case the effect was resolved with equal doses of confidence and competence.
A graduate of Edinburgh College of Art and London's Royal College of Art, Holly Fulton's career has grown from strength to strength, with enviable and deserved success. The fact that in just a few years she managed to sell her designs not only in the UK but also in Bharain, China, Dubai, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, and the US is proof that Fulton is someone with strong creative and business credentials who has been establishing a solid position in the fashion firmament. Her current signature style, that includes an abundance of geometric patterns and bejewelled dresses made of a mix of materials and textures, was at its best in a collection that cemented per reputation as a key British fashion designer.
To show her spring/summer 2012 collection, Fulton produced a well-edited range for London Fashion Week. In a selection of 30 looks, the designer included mini-dresses inspired by those worn in the London of the swinging 1960s, swimwear, flowing maxi dresses, cropped bomber jackets, 1980s-inspired bustiers, and a range of successful accessories (of which the bags in geometric patterns are memorable examples). What made these long established garment formats more successful was a strong narrative of graphic designs that allowed viewers to explore African tribal and animal patterns and picture illustrations of corals and waves from the deep blue sea. In addition, details such as feather trims, and an unabashed contrast of black and white with strong shades of orange, yellow and turquoise proved to be a winning combination. Overall, this was an enchanting collection made possible through a seductive and masterful process of effectively combining and contrasting patterns, materials and colours.