Sorapol is the London fashion duo Sorapol Chawaphatnakul (originally from Bangkok) and Daniel Lismore (British). Since their SS12 launch the two married traditional craft techniques with subversive silhouettes and decadence, and have produced a series of luxurious collections since.
The Sorapol brand has a huge ‘now celebrity’ following including Paloma Faith, Cara Delevigne, Nicki Minaj and Azealia Banks (to name a few,) and these fashion heroines of the moment, have referred to Sorapol’s and Lismore’s creations as ‘unique and mesmerising visions.’ Soporal’s AW14 LFW line up held at The Royal College of Surgeons certainly lived up to this, in bigger and more captivating way than before.
The Sorapol woman is elegant, opulent and powerful and this was a true theme running through the collection. The perimeter of the catwalk was laced beautiful with a sprinkling of flowers, making way for the mystical garments that unveiled themselves in dramatic fashion, with one piece actually sewn to the models skin!
Some of the show stopping pieces included a beautifully sheer dress with an abundance of fabric trailing at the back, which left little to the imagination; the light reflective wet look surface of this sheer fabric is a choice that is being favoured frequently this coming season. There was also other translucent terrestrial looks that featured a little more coverage in the form of stunning carefully placed opulent embellishment and embroidery, which also added detailed interest to a few other pieces.
Some dresses featured impeccable structuring in the bodices and across the shoulders, which melted into lavishly draped fabric that flooded the ground. As elegant as this looked Sorapal managed to give the pieces an alien-esc/Japanese horror film beauty that elevated the collection past mystical to almost an eerie level. This continued with hard edged black floor length structured coats and dresses, including patent leather detailed overlays on some garments which was a nice breakup of the nudes and pastels also featuring in the collection.
Power dressing and masculinity looks like it is going to be a key feature in the AW14 wardrobe as it has reoccurred in numerous shows. Sorapol is playing to this trend and surpassing it by taking masculine blazers, slim leg trousers and seductively side split pencil skirts, and giving them a feminine futuristic twist by using light reflecting fabrics, heavy embroidery or a touch of Sorapol’s attractive, erratically fluid print, which showcased on a number of other looks.
Sorapols AW14 collection epitomizes futuristic winter dressing. Although every look can’t be worn by all, the clothing must be admired for its ability to take you to another world of fantasy, innovation and incredibly opulent imminent fashion.
