Marques Almeida took over the Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel in Waterloo for a daytime party under the vaults. Just a day ago occupied by skaters, today, the location served as a catwalk for the latest creations of CSM-graduates Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida.

Reels of diary films shot in bedrooms of teenage girls were projected on the brick walls, exposing us to the private lives and internal motivations of a group of young girls – the main inspiration behind FW18. Once the lights went out, both established and street-cast models emerged in a collection built on unconventional cuts, combinations of fabrics and staple accessories – Almeida’s signature boot and a new edition of the cross body bag.

Velvet, silk, premium cotton, reflective silver coating and leather dominated the runway, from fitted shirts, longline dresses to low rise puffball skirts, while patchwork leather motocross pieces represented a welcome gear-change – think somewhere in-between Marianne Faithfull in The Girl on a Motorcycle and Uma Thurman à la Kill Bill. Coming from a place where passion and responsibility for creating a more inclusive industry intertwine, today, Marques Almeida presented an image of a girl ready to take on the world.