Runway Review: Preen by Thornton Bregazzi

You have designer’s who follow the same aesthetics season by season, and then you have Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi of Preen who move from huge sartorial performances (remember Star Wars for FW14?) to a new direction – exactly what yesterday’s SS15 show embodied. Taking inspiration from the Maasai Cricket Warriors in Kenya, to say it was a whole lot more energetic and playful would be an understatement. Funky 80s and 90s hip-hop vibes merged with sporty and sexy attire – think bold colors with clashing foliage prints, body-con mini dresses, lace, stripy tassels, digital florals; basically the whole shebang of what the runway has showcased in the last few years. Shapes and hemlines were asymmetrical; cricket stripes were ‘softened’ with African beads, while cinched waists created to-die-for silhouettes. Overwhelmed? Mixed opinions? Either way, Justin and Thea made a damn good attempt at making an unforgettable collection – for that, we shall applaud them.