Walking into the ballroom of Andaz Hotel in East London, with nothing but a table topped with a radio player, a glass, and a jug of water, one doesn't know what to expect. As models start to walk in, clothes and shoes with tied knots, a recurring motif in Rory William Docherty's collections, give a hint of the theme of his Spring/Summer 2027 collection: What Ties Us Together. For Docherty, that is shared values, mutual respect, a care for craftsmanship, and the collective subconscious.
The designer introduces the tied knot motif in the first look. In some looks the motif is right in your face, like a white dress with a huge tied knot as the collar or a straw hat reconstructed as a knot, while others are more subtle, like a small knot on the shoes. Be it a 3D knot or a woven metal one, Docherty's motif is impossible to miss.
Lighter hues dominate the collection. Grey, white, and beige looks in silk and linen feel easy on the eye. There is only one look with pops of colour, a look that features a vibrant blue top and equally vibrant purple trousers, in which the hues feel like they were made for each other.
The collection feels like being by the sea, light and flowing. The finale features models returning to the stage with an added layer, like a light pink trench coat or a jacket, completing the looks in the most seamless way.