Shortly after debuting their final year collection, Australian-born, London-based designer duo Laura and Deanna Fanning took to the stage of contemporary fashion, leading the womenswear division of Kiko Kostadinov’s eponymous label. Thanks to their expertise in textile and artisanship, they adapt a playful approach to their sartorial designs, experimenting with a wide variety of fabrics and techniques. Taking inspiration from dystopian novels and Sci-Fi films in previous seasons, the dynamic pair give a modern twist to costume-style looks with a vibrant palette and innovative silhouettes.

Following the heavily optical-illusory autumn/winter 2020 assemblage, Laura and Deanna prioritise comfort and practicality this time around, incorporating loungewear-style pieces into the collection to reinvigorate the mundane domestic sphere. “We started by looking at illustrations of clothing that women used to wear at home during the Victorian era,” explains Deanna, “from wash and saturation to buttons and ties, we maintain these original details in our modern designs.”

Paying tribute to the delicacy of Victorian apparel, wraps and ties can be found in the backs of blazers which come in dusty pink, sand and black as well as in the chunky waists bands of puckered knitwear. “As for our choices of fabrication, we opted for checked cotton commonly seen on Victorian loungewear. We used it to fabricate shirring which grants the looks an elasticity and a contrasting, rugged texture,” Deanna continues. “In addition to the knitted crochet bags, we have also revamped our signature heels with a fully beaded upper that coils around the leg, resembling the elegant footwear styles of the aforementioned historical period.”

“Considering everything about the future is uncertain at the moment, we chose the star shape which is a symbol of hope, to embellish shirts, knits, skirts and bags, in hopes of instilling positivity into our audience,” Laura shares. Developed from last season’s psychedelic V-neck jumper with its three-dimensional spikes, a similar look in the form of a draped, asymmetrical dress is included in the SS21 collection, boasting overlapping patches of grey woven fabric which intertwine with traces of sky blue. Uniting the worlds of sports and fashion, the sisters also bring biker-styled leggings with engineered knee pads to the collection.

Sustainability was also a focus. “We only got five to six fabrics in minimum quantity and we just worked on what we have with us. We really do try to extend the life cycle of every piece that we are making,” Laura says. “Would this piece be easy to slide into everyone’s wardrobe? Is it something that one would keep for a long time? These are the questions we keep asking ourselves!”