LONDON, United Kingdom — Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi belong to the British school of romantic deconstructionists that was initiated by Vivienne Westwood. They've kept following their peculiar ethos with delicate stubbornness over the years, despite the ebb and flow of fleeting fads. No vintage mash-up, no ladylike irony, no streetstyle angst for them. Which means they are probably not the pinnacle of cool right now. Yet, they are consistent.

But the collection they showed this morning was consistent to the point of monotony: a litany of floaty, lingerie-style dresses taken apart and reassembled in a range of abstractions. There was very little else on the catwalk, but variations — from crisp white to colour and sequins — came in numbers. It was an assured outing for Preen, but also a bit out of sync with the times.

The heavy styling and some forced constructions gave the goings an anachronistic aura. Marrying deeply felt design convictions with an acknowledgement of what's going on in the world outside the studio is mandatory.