Source: The New York Times, Fashion & Style by Susy Menkes. Published: February 22, 2010

Geometric shapes from Louise Goldin, Matthew Harding of Central Saint Martin’s, and Todd Lynn. Credit: Chris Moore/Karl Prouse

LONDON - Clothes like boxes standing away from the body, sculpted silhouettes, monochrome colors and disturbingly perverse shoes - if the Central Saint Martin’s graduation show was a projection of fashion’s future, it is of a linear, geometric world.

The most intriguing thing about the show was the similarity of vision. In a city once famous for its wild flights of fantasy and fashion diversity, the 22 fledgling Saint Martin’s designers seemed to think with the same side of the brain. And that meant a unanimous rejection of sensuality and an architectural approach to covering the female and male forms.

Occasionally the effect was invigorating, as in the play on pleats forming white clouds around the torso, shown by Matthew Harding.

The extreme fashion vision from London’s most vaunted college was also the theme of shows from many established designers, where the spirit of Pierre Cardin’s futuristic looks is hovering over the venue.

Louise Goldin showed 3-D sculpted skirts, although in a joyful way, with sparkling scarlet biker shorts appearing under the boxy shapes, tipped at an angle. The result was striking and well-done but looked too experimental for seated comfort.

Todd Lynn’s tailoring was sharp and graphic for both sexes, with wide shoulders, perhaps enlarged with a spread of fur, apparently inspired by hunting but looking more like a sci-fi vision of streamlining. His limited scope as a tailor seems to be developing.

Two fresh ideas have infiltrated fashion’s new geometry for autumn/winter 2010. The first is drawn with a compass: the rounded cape coat or jacket. The other is a linear silhouette with a long, slim skirt. Read more.