Liam S/S 2016

Liam S/S 2016 celebrates two women of different worlds, whose similarities are a shared first name and an inimitable inner strength.

The first, Grace Jones; the bold transgressive Afro punk musician. As a self-designed disco queen with total control over her image, Jones’ experimental and androgynous look tells a story of defiant power.

The second, Grace Kelly; the late silver screen actress who was crowned Princess of Monaco upon her 1956 marriage to Prince Rainier III. Kelly exuded untouchable elegance, playing all of her roles, on set and in her life as European royalty, with conviction.

The two are often imitated, never duplicated. Together they embody the spirit of this seasons Liam collection. Here are clothes that ask the Liam woman to summon a personal strength, take charge of her reality and express herself.

Present are nipped in waists, flared calf-skimming skirts and buttoned up tops, the kind that Kelly wore with such confidence, although subverted in ways that play into Liam’s signature irreverence. A princess dress with hourglass shaping is manipulated as straps leave their usual place to perform duty as a waist tie instead.

Elsewhere, there is an invitation to pick out and play with separates. Designer Emily Miller-Sharma overthrows classic four-piece suiting by swapping the waistcoat for a long, narrow tunic top. It’s designed to be layered over a shirt, pants and pulled together with a trench coat.

There’s a seasonal drift of texture as Liam navigates spring dressing with heavy ponti knits and wool blends alongside silk crepe de chine. Introduced is a colour palette of navy, nude and burnt orange. In the spirit of unabashed confidence, print is embraced with an oversized, hand drawn floral. It’s perfectly loud and season-appropriate.

As tribute to two wildly opposite icons, Grace encourages us to ditch the demons, seize liberty by the hand and harness our own inner sparkle once and for all.