Cool Hunting

Fashion week jumped over the pond to London last week and our friends at Refinery 29 were there to catch the action. Many of our favorite pioneers didn't disappoint, but we chose to highlight a few designers that we thought were in especially top form.

England's own Nathan Jenden, who's had years of experience with Galliano and Von Furstenburg, followed up last year's success with another great line presenting an eye-grabbing collection of cheeky, superb creations for spring/summer '08. While most of this ready-to-wear line was far more watchable than wearable (as any good London collection should be) the artistry of his simple pieces were his strength. The narrow black dress with oversized white cuffs, large and broad skirts, white bustle dresses and oversized bows were undeniable (pictured above).

A man with momentum, Jonathan Saunders always does best when his body-hugging, no-nonsense designs stay that way—trim, taught, and without fanfare. More toward straight style than experimentation he displays an uncanny knack for mature, cosmopolitan chic and the best pieces in this taupe, black, and white collection stayed in that urbane minimalist framework. Thanks to a modicum of layering and silhouettes that generally hugged every curve, allusions to hip streetwear were outnumbered by those toward tennis dresses—though these are not pieces designed for doing anything other than looking your best.

Other notable collections include Richard Nicoll's gauzy dresses and 24-year-old Christopher Kane's balance of high and low fashion pieces.

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by Gabriel Bell