For Emilia Wickstead, designing a collection always starts with the woman; the muse. And for pre-fall, her roving eye turned to Bridget Riley, the British Op art pioneer known for her dazzling canvases lavished with intricate geometric patterns. The point of inspiration was woven through the collection first in a very literal sense—a standout dress was cut from a black-and-white chevron weave that had a hallucinatory shimmer, and featured wiggly seams across the bust that recalled a kind of oversized ric rac; while a butter yellow strapless silk dress had been subtly imprinted with triangular patterns that were amplified by the precise pleats across the bodice. “It’s a tribute to Bridget Riley, but done in a modern way,” Wickstead noted.
In keeping with that spirit, the designer took her cues not just from Riley’s artworks, but also the artist’s laid-back personal style. Photographs of Riley herself, in her ever-rotating uniform of suiting, sweaters, and cardigans were nestled between her paintings and shots of flowers by Irving Penn sat next to each other on Wickstead’s moodboard this season. (Especially charming were the denim pieces, which were also woven through with a subtle chevron pattern and nodded to artists’ workwear.) “She really embodied this sense of creativity and strength and purpose in the way she dressed,” Wickstead added. To bring that spirit of strength and creativity to life, Wickstead worked with the actor Michelle Dockery—the pair first met after the former designed the latter’s wedding dress last year—to create a lookbook that was deliberately pared back to let Dockery’s presence shine. “To me, Michelle is an artist in her own right—she’s best known for being an actress, of course, but she’s also trained as a dancer,” Wickstead added. “She’s a true performer.”
For all of the clever nods to Riley’s role within the pantheon of British art history, there were still plenty of the pieces Wickstead is best known for within the collection: vibrant gowns decorated with eye-catching florals, most notably a delightful, painterly dahlia print that ran the gamut from delicate pastel hues to zesty shades of yellow and green. With the bottom falling out of the e-commerce market, it’s a tough time for many London brands right now—but as a designer who launched her brand in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Wickstead knows how to steer her ship with a steady hand. And her ability to move the needle forward just the right amount each season is as brilliant as any of her floral prints.