Bora Aksu's Spring Summer 2020 collection is inspired by Princess Taj Saltaneh, Frida Kahlo and Maria Berrio
LONDON — Central Saint Martins graduate, Turkish designer Bora Aksu isn’t allowing the politics of Brexit get into his way of creating an ultra-feminine dream piece, inspired by strong women of royal and arts background. His Spring Summer 2020 collection, which debut at London Fashion Week today (13 September), was inspired by Persian Princess Taj Saltaneh of Qajar Dynasty - she led a female revolution by founding a Women’s Freedom Association around 1910, advocating for change and democracy. Interestingly, she was the first woman to go to court to fight for the removal of the hijab and allowing women to wear western clothes. Two other women Bora drew inspiration from are artists Frida Kahlo and Mario Berrio.
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Drawing from their femininity and strength, Bora layered soft textures with smart womenswear tailoring, as seen on a tulle top matched with cropped pants and slits. Layered gowns sweep the floor with lace and organza in the prettiest shades of pinks, corals, and orange, in matching crown headgears made of berries and insect crochets - almost like you were in an English garden. His mastery is in draping fabric around silhouettes and keeping waist slim but creating volume around them, thus giving the wearer a flattering form.
“These women are different but similar in different time periods. Princess Taj Saltaneh was controversial at her time; Frida Kahlo is a colourful individual and when she was younger she would wear boys’ clothes; while Mario is a Columbian artist who I find feminine,” Bora shared with Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore backstage after his runway show.
Bora is also introducing his first accessories line the first time for this collection: “I’ve always seen my collection as a whole, as I would be thinking of the shoes and all, but we’ve never actually gone into accessories. But now because we have so many stores, it’s important to present the collection as a whole. This season feels right because of the colours and shade, especially the yellows and pastels; I hope they will be received well.”
His expansion into Asia, includes aggressive store expansion across Hong Kong, China and Singapore, in which he thinks, “is going very well because Asia is buzzing and it’s the right time to be at. The last four years, we’ve been very well-received by Asian women.”
Bora Aksu has two stores in the heart of Singapore: Ngee Ann City and The Shoppes in Marina Bay Sands.
