The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2024 - Issue 36

bitecatwalk Collective Showcase Special Report Anya Duncan provides the catwalk report for the womenswear designers from Ukrainian Fashion Week and Fashion Scout China, who showed their AW24 collections at London Fashion Week. Ladecente Hypnotising, macabre, and inviting, this was a runway presentation with haunting elegance. The opening look, crowned by a halo of long black strikes resembling ravens, instilled the same abstract wonder I would im- agine Alice first saw after tumbling down the rabbit hole towards Wonderland. Each gown presented an expert understanding of movement. From large trumpet-like skirts to nets falling from the model like they caught fish, Ladecente crafted a collection draped in dark seduction. The demoiselle coir, a rain gear from ancient China's pre-Qin period, inspired the collection, which aimed to inspire self-cultivation. The brand also protects marine ecosystems using recycled metal nylon, patented gold and silver silk fabrics from Shi-kwan Textiles, exclusive knitted fabrics by RCA MA knit designer Xiaoyu Zhu, and Italian mohair knitted overlay mesh. Like some other designers at London Fashion Week, this collection proved that fashion and art can intertwine. Chiyue Chiyue’s brand is distinguished by its vibrant prints, which took over the runway with a collec- tion filled with intricate patterns and attractive construction. My favourite pieces began with trousers made from grey checkered fabric. The trousers swayed like tree branches when the model moved, revealing a bold red fabric under- neath. A floor-length skirt with the same detailing followed this look. In a runway presentation filled with bright colours and vital black accent pieces, these two designs stood out as the most visually stimulating. They reminded me of lacerations in the skin, perhaps a peek-a-boo moment of strength hidden behind the corporate grey fabric.