The LFW rest stop: S'ranouir

It’s been over a month since LFW, if you know the abbreviation you know. In true runway fashion, there was a lot of walking involved, hot footing it from Soho’s Orée Cafe in West to make a last minute Mark Fast show in East London’s Dalston Junction. I remember looking down at my feet on several occasions and thinking, damn these boots really are made for walking. Let’s just say I exceeded the Apple fitness app’s expectations of me, burning over 400 kcals as I took London by storm (on foot). 

The whole point of that subtle flex of me walking a lot over Fashion Week ties in with the concept of ‘fast fashion’, nowadays fashion is moving fast, it’s hard to keep up with. New Zara drop - why is yesterday’s collection nowhere to be seen? The Temu obsession (even my nan has cottoned on), 20p a piece sales on PLT (scary). 

I want to take a pause and tell you about my experience at the S’ranouir pop up because stepping into the ‘Voie de L’éveil’ exhibition on Greek Street felt like a cool tidal breeze of serenity. 

At the door Kalypso and I were greeted by a real life goddess, Natalie De Souza, who ambled toward us wearing a lightweight and breathable deconstructed dress, which she fastened at the chest with an axis ornament. I was immediately interested in the anatomy of her dress and its styling power: it can be left open for the function or tied up with a metal clasp by day, as demonstrated by Natalie, for that breezy, relaxed feel.

Born in 2022, the womenswear label S'ranouir, founded by London College of Fashion graduate Roxuan, translates to ‘blossoming’ and ‘re-definition’ and is an invitation to slow down, to live with intention, and to grow into yourself. Natalie describes it as breaking out of those luxury brands we covet and adopting a philosophy of conscious living which brings us back to ourselves.

Dear guest,

You are about to enter a space where fashion is not only worn,

but questioned, deconstructed and reborn.

Beyond trend.

At the essence of the brand lies a rejection of conventionality, it urges us to choose one of its versatile pieces and style it in response to our own body’s request. It says NO to that casual day dress we know so well from the High St and introduces itself as a kind of experimental alternative, where the wearer can find a design fluent in their bodily language. 

The store’s layout oozed simplicity, of the sophisticated kind. Garments of black and white tones were hung against a plain backdrop, exposed. Though limited in colour palette, each piece had its own special detail, whether this be a tassel hanging elegantly off the sleeve or a beautifully textured braided strap. 

The S’ranouir collection offers tensile pieces thoughtfully designed to move at the wearer’s own pace. As soon as I spotted the black dress pictured in the centre of the image above, I immediately said to Kalypso: “Skims”. Being surrounded by such slinky and comfortable looking couture was a tempting treat for the likes of me, who had arrived at LFW corseted and confined by the tight waistband of a pair of Zara jeans. Oh to wrap myself in SD24-007 from the Voie de l'éveil I Lookbook and feel the touch of Eucalyptus fiber source upon skin - my thought process exactly as I wandered S'ranouir. 

Life moves fast. Why don’t you...

Enter, and let quiet take you somewhere new…

Usually, pop-ups tend to be a stressful ordeal. You’ve already seen that Tiktok famous blouse, branded as a ‘bestseller’, and know you’ve probably got roughly three hundred seconds to grab it, throw it over your top (the queue for the only fitting room is already out the door) and cop. There’s always sweat, there’s always tears, and who knows there might be blood if someone decides to fight you over ‘the last size’. 

However, I’m releasing this energy and moving at the slower pace of S'ranouir where body, garment and time “discover new shapes together”.

To add to this luxurious experience, there was even a trio of sweet treats for grabs on the menu; traditional Taiwanese delicacies baked to match the brand’s very own identity - a very thoughtful gesture. Every spectacle was subtitled at this event, you couldn’t look at a piece without knowing exactly how it got there and the same goes for Condensed Milk Crispy Mahua: “it looks like a twisted pastry, and that braided detail is something we also bring into our fashion design, like in the straps”. I opted for a piece of pineapple cake with a glass of iced tea on the side.

A month has passed and I can’t help but reflect on my (many) shopping experiences, since my tour around S'ranouir as I (guiltily) chase fashion’s fleeting trends. But here at S'ranouir, I’ve been introduced to the ‘Emerald City’ of couture which is built to last and is thoughtfully designed to move with you at whatever pace you set.

All photos from Kalypso Isaidou and Scarlet Somerville.