Staged in West London’s BAYSIXTY6 skate park, Chopova Lowena proved to be masters of contradiction as design duo Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena-Irons presented their SS24 collection of polarising opposites. The London-based brand’s sophomore show was an ode to Helston’s Day Festival, a Cornish celebration marking the balmy onslaught of summer: dancers parade through town and medieval tales of saints and sinners, goblins and ghouls, and mermaids and maidens are regaled.

Titled GIRL’S TEAR, GIRLS TEAR, the collection takes its name from the Bulgarian name for lily of the valley, Momina Salza – translating to ‘girl’s tear’. A flower representing motherhood, chastity, sweetness, and purity, Chopova explore the riotous side of girlhood as a time for tearing through the world with glorious reckless abandon. Delicate, white broderie anglaise dresses were juxtaposed with leather strappings, contrasting innocence and armour, jackets were crafted entirely from white ribbons and frilly socks were reminiscent of the ones you probably wore in Primary school. Corsetted silhouettes and boned bustiers were constant reminders of impending adulthood, and motifs from Helston’s Festival appeared throughout as dragons, angels and devils populated ribbed knitwear and graphic tees, and lucky charms adorned necklaces.

While British folklore underpins the narrative of Chopova’s angelic off-kilter looks, modern-day tradition is still just as important and the ‘good girl’ falling for the skater boy is a tale as old as time (hey, Avril). Penning a story of angsty young love, Chopova’s 90s grunge roots delivered the tartan safety pins synonymous with the brand. Skirts were layered and pleated in clashing checkered patterns, beads and charms formed belts, board shorts were baggy and graphic hoodies were trimmed with frills. Metal noisily clinked on quite literally everything, we’re talking socks, gloves, collars, underwear, even models’ hair – you name it and it probably had hardware across it.

In a first for the brand, handbags and footwear arrived on the runway. Made in Italy, bags become the ultimate companion, each designed with designated pockets for a comb, notebook, credit card, house key, and nail file. The shoes of the season saw a collaboration with UGG – adorned with giant bows and badges. In a tale of folklore, modernity, messy romance and beautiful chaos, the Chopova girls tore it up and pieced it all back together – studded and spiked.