Whenever I attend one of Sophia Webster’s presentations, I never know what to expect. Every season she pulls out something completely magnificent, yet once you see it, you realise it’s perfectly Sophia and completely in keeping with her quirky signature style. It’s this slight unpredictability that always gets me excited for one of her LFW performances. Yes, they’re presentations – but there’s always an element of interaction with guests, and this is something I feel Webster has become known for. Her feminine and sophisticated approach to design was highlighted by her SS18 presentation, titled ‘Away with the Fairies’, where you quite literally stepped inside a woodland wonderland at Somerset House.
Inspired by the Cottingley fairy phenomenon of 1917, Sophia had delicately balanced a strong colour palette with earthy design details – including a clutch bag with butterfly embellished shoulder strap, fluffy Chiara’s and crystal encrusted stilettos. Nature featured heavily throughout, with bags embellished with quotes featuring roses and butterflies, wooden wedges and heavy floral details. Something I find Sophia does really well, is taking a theme and creating multiple layers – or mini collections – within that theme, thus creating something for every type of woman out there. There was an element of traditionalism with a pearl encrusted heel on a shoe of wearable height, complete with matching clutch bag, and connotations of party girl chic with petals encased in perspex forming a daringly high platform heel. There was styles to match your mini me, styles for the beach, a beautiful rose encrusted box bag for that important dinner date and styles that meant you could fit whatever you popped to the shops for in a stylish drawstring tote. Sophia pulls out all the stops and never disappoints.
