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COMPLETE COLLECTION

LONDON, September 19, 2008

By Sarah Mower

Abdul Koroma and Andrew Jones are not typical photo-fit young British designers, whether in their working patterns or, come to that, their clothes patterns. In their day jobs, the two work for MaxMara, and their own collection strives for something more sophisticated than East End edgy. (They have a studio in London from which they design the Modernist line. What kick-started them to set up the label was entering the Fashion Fringe competition in 2005.)

This season, Koroma and Jones based their ideas on wedding trousseaux, using lace, tulle, and organdy in ornate dresses and sheer blouses. If some of it was overworked and problematic to wear (stiff panniers and peplums; lots of exposed bras), the simplest numbers came out well (a pristine white brocade pantsuit; a violet chiffon dress with a gathered neckline, bloused into the waist with a ribbon sash; a chic navy drop-waist dress with a wrap-over neckline and a flippy skirt). Clearly, these designers don't need any lessons about fabric and how to use it. What they still have to nail, though, is the art of making a concise statement without artsy trappings. Maybe if they weren't so anxious to prove themselves, it would flow more easily. They should relax, and make it simpler.

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