I’ve always been obsessed with details. I’ve always paid a lot of attention to small things. Not in this really annoying way (although I can imagine that’s how it could be seen by some people). I’ve always been really good in spotting things, noticing elements which aren’t easy to see.

I really enjoyed Mary Katrantzou AW14 collection and I was happy to see that she moved away from her famous digital prints and decided to explore motifs in a different way. Looks from AW14 collection were based on specially commissioned swiss lace. ‘Prints’ where transformed into 3d objects, into fabric with an amazing and unique structure. Swiss lace, embroidery, sequins, metal mesh were the key elements in Katrantzou’s AW14 collection.

In SS15 Mary Katrantzou decided to explore this 3d world further. She created absolutely amazing objects (I call them ‘objects’ because for me, they are much more than pieces of clothing). Almost each look is a single, unique object which amazes with its beauty and great craftsmanship.

Sea world was a key inspiration for this collection and was translated info fashion language in the most beautiful way. Not only fabric development was taken to the next level but colour palette chosen by Mary made the entire collection stunning picture of a wearable sea life.

Like with previous seasons, also SS15 collection was built around dresses (and skirts combined with camisoles or tops which overall look like dresses). Everything is short or super-short, sexy and quite revealing, delicate and very, very feminine. It makes you not only want to look at the clothes with true admiration but also it  creates this strange desire to touch them, to see them closer.

Mary Katrantzou was showing her SS15 collection in the late afternoon on Sunday during London Fashion Week. I didn’t have chance to see it in person but at the end of the day I took a look at images from the show. A few glimpses were enough for me to fall in love with this collection. When I write that I ‘fall in love’ with Katrantzou’s SS15 it doesn’t mean that my judgement is based on weather I would wear these pieces or not. It’s something much more than that. It doesn’t have to be my cup of tea in that sense to hold a huge admiration for what I see. Obviously Mary Katrantzou SS15 is a ready-to-wear collection of clothes but I also see it as a collection of unbelievably beautiful objects which have their separate meaning outside being fashion garments. They don’t need to be worn – the can be simply admired for what they are.

Currently Mary Katrantzou SS15 collection is available for pre-order on Moda Operandi. For me it was a great opportunity to discover the collection a bit further. I guess I could do it in a similar way that most of the buyers do (visiting designers’ showrooms). Seeing collections on the runway is a great thing but seeing garments themselves, in close-ups add this other dimension to it. Visiting Moda Operandi website was like a private visit at Mary’s showroom only with that difference that I couldn’t ‘feel’ the clothes. But I could focus on details, great fabrics, amazing laces and beautiful finishing. I could appreciate it in the way that it’s not possible when you look at standardised runway photos on style.com or vogue.com.

I was not only overwhelmed by the beauty of the garments and great craftsmanship but also… by the prices. Prices in fashion are topic for a different conversation on another day but… $17, 325 for a dress? Anyone?

(Photos by Morgan O’Donovan for Mary Katrantzou, Moda Operandi)