David Koma Spring 2023 Ready-to-Wear Collection

“It’s about harmonizing environmental and unintentional, man-made beauty,” David Koma remarked in a preview ahead of his show. “I hoped to create a fantasy that reflected this unusual marriage by merging aquatic elements with everyday city discoveries.”

Koma wanted attendees to be present on his home turf, where he was first inspired to create the collection, so he staged the runway spectacle outside of his studio on the streets of the Theatre Courtyard Gallery—a location that just so happened to be where William Shakespeare put on his first play. “You can see these shimmering oil formations on the sidewalk in East London, particularly close to where I work, which triggered me creatively,” he mused. “I then had a vision of an underwater world with colorful sea creatures illuminating the darkness.”

The natural and the urban were combined in the collection. There were also references to early photographs of American marine biologist and oceanographer Sylvia Earle and her Tektite II crew, the first all-female diving team, that spent 14 days underwater in 1970. A variety of Koma’s signature party dresses and swimwear pieces were crafted from super-elastic silk mesh that emulated scuba gear. Further to the theme, Yves Klein Blue lightweight plume dresses, mimicking the sea itself, swished down the runway in an array of shapes. There were also tops and skirts in macramé inspired by fisherman’s knots.

Motorsport styles were explored in the form of leather biker jackets with decorative inserts in the shape of fish hooks, paneled skintight leggings, and structured knee-high boots adorned with hardware. Cutout chain-mail dresses were covered with miniature fish hooks; gasoline drop–printed dresses and off-center tops added a sensual, industrial mood. The spliced T-shirt dresses that had an athletic edge delivered an offbeat cool, an area that felt refreshing for Koma.

This season’s embroideries, which took the form of crystallized starfish, oyster shells, and octopus tentacles, felt especially powerful. Specifically the bralette crafted out of golden shells worn with low-slung jeans, as well the giant embellished starfish on top of the eveningwear, gave the impression of couture-level intricacy.