Day four of London Fashion Week (LFW) was a busy one for the big players in British fashion, yet there was as much talk surrounding the underground talent Christian Blanken. Previously showing his collections via a presentation format, Blanken debuted his first runway show at LFW.

The Central Saint Martin’s grad knows what he does well, and his autumn/winter 12 collection was a further exploration of his signature sportswear aesthetic. Showcasing his expertise in this field, he brought us a modern functional wardrobe. The cohesiveness within the collection transcended smoothly from daywear to eveningwear with an underlying tone of sleek luxury. A sharp tailored suit in charcoal grey for the female androgen, leather trousers paired with a loose fitting, white cropped-jacket for the rock-in-roll girl. Incredibly streetwise, Blanken covers every kind of look for the urban girl who is always on the-go.

Eveningwear ‒ straight down dresses in red and ivory to Grecian draping on asymmetric dresses ‒ is approached with refined simplicity, and lends an air of understated glamour and elegance to the collection. The addition of military inspired belts gives a tougher and urban edge to the glamorous looks. Simplicity became a statement with an elegant combination of a t-shirt with silver harem pants for greater visual impact. This is unpretentious dress for the woman whose style is not determined by trends. With a classic and timeless colour palette of graphic black, ivory, and a range of greys, there is also a warmer dose of oranges and reds. With fabrics like cashmere, alpaca, leather and shearling, Blanken continues his narrative of high quality, timeless pieces.

In the last few months Blanken has been undertaking research on the ‘Decades of Sportswear’. The knowledge and expertise he has already gained form this was clearly documented in his AW collection. With a historical understanding of functional dress, Christian has created looks that any modern and stylish woman will want to add to her wardrobe.