Last season, Molly Goddard’s girls danced, hands in the air, at a strobe-lit rave but for AW17, the girls – still decked out in her signature frothy, tulle dresses (though notably less neon) – invited us to join them at a sophisticated candlelit dinner. Held in the Tate Modern Tanks, guests were met by two large dining tables laden with fruit, bread, flowers, decanters of red wine and bottles of Coca Cola, before we made our way to the velvet chaises longues to sit down. Each model, cast and styled by Molly’s sister Alice, took a seat at the central beautiful banquet tables, designed by set supremo Sarah Edwards.
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Since her first season, in 2014, Molly has returned to the idea of the transformative power of dressing, as well as coming of age and nostalgia. In keeping with those themes, this collection centred on a party for a woman of any age – whether it was the young girl dressed in her best for her first-ever adult occasion, the confident teen coming into her own, or a more mature woman elegantly parading her chicest frock.
While Goddard’s SS17 raver girls were ready to party until dawn, this was a more sophisticated affair with fabrics elevated to couture-like qualities, from the frou-frou dresses embroidered with cross-stitch details to the colourful complex, tiered pieces, hand-crafted in Goddard's London studio. Molly also expanded on her trademark tulle princess dresses, A-line smocks and new tutu mini skirts with more commercial, everyday garments such as sheer dresses layered over rose-print T-shirts, satin house coats, bumble bee-striped zip-up jumpers and ruched trousers. Looks were completed with glittering knee-high socks and satin ballet pumps.
As the winner of the British Emerging Talent gong at the Fashion Awards last December, Goddard's accomplished AW17 collection, which expanded upon her house style, reaffirmed her status as the hottest young designer on the London schedule.