“ARABIAN NIGHTS”

When the wind's from the east and the sun's from the west

And the sand in the glass is right

Come on down stop on by

Hop a carpet and fly

To another Arabian night

Ryan LO travels to exotic locales through the prism of his Hong Kong upbringing. It’s a Middle Eastern hotchpotch seen in the animes and Cantonese music videos of his youth, filled with magic carpets, snake charmers and bejewelled turbans. It’s a deliberate cacophony of cultures and countries - Turkey, Egypt, India - candy coated and sugar dusted beyond recognition.

Foreign types with the hookah pipes say Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh Walk like an Egyptian

LO’s intrepid traveller momentarily ditches her girliness and embraces the oversized harem trouser pilfered from Venetian clowns and 18th century Ottoman Empire attire. Those volumes are matched by LO’s signature ruffled and tiered dresses in a scalloped peacock lace and floral jacquard. Metallic pleated lurex is yet another jewel in this reimagining of Ali Baba’s cave. Floral jacquard coats come frayed at the edges like well-used magic carpets. A kawaii character resembling Japanese childhood heroine Chibi Maruko Chan pops out of a genie and rides an elephant across vibrant prints this season.

Stephen Jones collaborates with Ryan LO for the first time, creating marabou trimmed tricorn hats that are part New Romantics, part Victorian pirate as well as an Indian Raj-inspired bejewelled headband in LO’s signature candy hues.

Come traverse this anime desert. She’s a genie in a bottle. You’ve got to rub her the right way.

Words by Susie Lau @ Susie Bubble

Styling: Victoria Young/ Makeup: Isamaya Ffrench/ Hair: Alex Brownsell/ Nails: Marian Newman/ Casting: Shelley Durkan/ Millinery: Stephen Jones/ Set Designer: Gary Card