Jonathan Saunders A/W13: A Whole New Meaning to Squeaky Clean

Proving that London always adds some much-needed quirk to the Fashion Week proceedings, Jonathan Saunders delivered an A/W2013 line that balanced bondage a la Fifty Shades of Grey with more respectable (read: you could wear these to a cocktail party) vintage-inspired dresses.

 [All images via Showstudio.com].

How much gloss would madame like?

Saunders gave his audience a lot of flexibility when it came to choosing how much PVC they would like and where they wanted it to sit, whether it was a tight waist piece or a full-on white PVC dress with a billowing skirt. The differing levels meant that the Saunders woman could be as obvious or as subtle as she wanted.

 Goodnight sweetheart

These sweetheart necklines worked well, in either soft khaki, black PVC against duck egg blue or more blatant bright red. The multi-strap leather heels also hint at something less than innocent.

 Restricted style

The dress on the right and the jacket in the centre show how well the PVC works against more voluminous fabrics in earthy colours, whilst the dress on the left is much less forgiving. The only neutral tone left is the brown of the shoes and the model is barely visible against what she is wearing. I like how Saunders has played with nipped in waists and wide skirts, but also how he has attempted a fuller skirt with the synthetic fabric.

From innocence to experience

These three looks are unashamedly full-on; you couldn't conceal their intentions if you tried. The flashes of red on the shoes and the top of the dress, and the leopard print, are adding signals for you to look at the models - they're Kat Slater trademarks that somehow work brilliantly in high fashion as well.

Saunders has created a collection that goes against the stereotype of the British prude and instead gives us an assertive woman who isn't afraid to be looked at; in fact, she's looking right back.