Selecting the top five looks from Modo’s showcase was definitely no easy task. With “juxtaposition” as the guiding theme, the most successful looks were those embracing contrast conceptually while translating it into a compelling runway moment.
It was looks where silhouette, material, performance, and expression all aligned, contributing to important, current social discourse. What follows are the five looks that stood out most, ranked for both their interpretation of the theme and their impact on the runway.
5. Zon and Olive
Zon and Olive’s look hinged on a familiar but effective contrast: corporate restraint versus indulgent excess. Uniquely cut corporate tailoring (symbols of practicality and professional conformity) were layered beneath fur, a material associated with luxury and extravagance. What made this piece work especially well was its refusal to let either side dominate. Instead, the two coexisted, suggesting that modern fashion no longer chooses between function and opulence, but accommodates both.
4. Asli and Minahil
In a fashion landscape saturated with diluted “Ibiza”, “festival”, “Scandinavian scarf”, and “Coachella patterned” aesthetics, this look by Asli and Minahil resisted simplification. Rooted in South Asian design, it was elevated through the integration of Somali techniques, creating a piece that felt expansive rather than reductive. The juxtaposition here was not surface-level but structural, expanding the conversation about cultural clothing into the western hemisphere rather than reducing it. Having two distinct cultural practices working together to produce something new, it stood as a reminder that cultural fusion (when handled thoughtfully) can deepen rather than flatten meaning.
3. Annabel
This look was as much about atmosphere as it was about garment. The cut-outs, bold red palette, and carefully constructed silhouette were heightened by the shift in music, transforming the runway into an immersive moment. Annabel’s broader vision of bringing traditional Chinese visual elements into the context of a rave felt both contemporary and considered. Rather than appropriating, it recontextualised, allowing different cultural and subcultural aesthetics to exist in conversation with one another.
2. Gareth
One of the most visually striking pieces of the night, the circuit top designed by Gareth balanced precision with unpredictability. Its glowing reflection (whether intentional or not) created a moment that echoed iconic runway moments, elevating the look beyond its construction. Conceptually, it operated between past and future where the patterning evoked early computer circuitry, while the overall design felt distinctly futuristic. This interplay between technological history and speculative fashion made it one of the most cohesive interpretations of juxtaposition.
1. Lily
A standout not only for its concept but for its execution, this look reimagined menswear with confidence and originality. In a space where male-presenting fashion often defaults to predictability (of either button-up shirts and jeans or tuxedos), this design broke form. Drawing on Renaissance and early modern inspired shorts (a combination of Spanish breeches and trunk hoses) and reworking their silhouette, it fused historical reference with contemporary tailoring through the addition of a structured blazer. The denim-like fabric further complicated the look, blending casual modernity with historical formality. Through this temporal layering, Lily delivered one of the most innovative and fully realised interpretations of juxtaposition. It was at once retrospective, forward thinking, and undeniably memorable.
