London, 20th March 2010
First it was steel, then Rolls Royce and Harrods. Now another British institution has been taken over by a foreigner with the appointment of Czech-born Lukas Kroulik as Creative Director of the London Season.
Lukas will be responsible for dressing and styling thirty 17 year old debutantes for such landmark events in the British social calendar as the Queen Charlotte's Ball and the Berkeley Dress Show.
For the Berkeley Dress Show, which takes place at the exclusive Hurlingham Club on 23rd April, debutantes will be exhibiting dresses designed by eight of the best young designers studying at Central St Martin’s and the London College of Fashion. The designers come from the Korea, Russia, South East Asia and India as well as the UK. Lukas has selected all eight designers and worked with them to choose garments that both showcase their talent and represent the traditions of the London season. Each designer shows just a few key pieces, not a busy collection.
“I want to make sure that the debutante is seen in the best possible way: this is a marriage of her features, body shape and style, a marriage between the designer and the girl,” says Lukas. “The girls are debutantes, nor runway models: not all will have the height, face or personality for a conventional fashion show. I have to work with them, make something of them.” To help him work with the debutantes, Lukas has also recruited and manages a team of 15 specialist make up and hair designers from London College of Fashion and fashion stylist Katie Mcdowall, and – with each designer and debutante – chooses music and lighting that accents the individuality of girl and garment.
“I like the challenge that the London Season brings me”, says Lukas, “Because I am directing a show from beginning to end: meeting the debutantes with their parents, designing each part of the event with my creative teams, working with the backstage crew, networking and making connections and seeing all these personalities come together to create something wonderful.”
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