Ancuta Sarca does Retrofuturism for AW23

Ancuta Sarca, the Romanian designer famous for her heeled trainers and unique aesthetic, returns to London Fashion Week with a collection that elevates her classic style.

With its shearling trims and denim-on-denim styling, Sarca's collection has an unmistakable mist of early 2000s fashion. However, by taking inspiration from films such as Ex Machina, Sarca also features design elements reminiscent of a world plagued by advances in artificial intelligence. Compounding the two together, this collection is one of the stand-out retro-futurist moments of this season.

Sarca also references the town of Negrești-Oaș, where she grew up. By drawing on its seasonal characteristics of snow-covered woodlands and fusing it with her nod to AI, Sarca highlights how the latter could not exist without the former.

Much like many other upcoming designers, Sarca places an emphasis on sustainability, featuring up-cycled accessories made from deadstock denim, born from a new creative partnership with Lee®.

The presentation was held at the location of the Old Selfridges Hotel and featured models in clone-like formations, standing alongside wooden logs and metal beams.