Mulberry transformed the elegant art deco gem that is Claridge’s Hotel into a seaside pier for their Spring/Summer catwalk show, complete with a lobby filled from floor to ceiling with a jungle of animal balloons. The ballroom had been turned into a funfair with flashing lights and a ghost-train-style opening where the models appeared before striding down the catwalk to a thumping version of ‘I do like to be beside the seaside.’
There were sunny yellow frocks that twirled as the models turned, cute suits and neat little dresses, all eminently wearable and with a tongue-in-cheek wittiness that has become Mulberry’s signature style. The brilliant thing about Mulberry designer Emma Hill is that she understands exactly what the ‘great British summer’ really means – rain, rain and more rain, so she provided plenty of raingear and a soundtrack to match – Singin’ in the Rain, Walking in the Rain – you get the picture. After all, if you have to wear a cagoule during a downpour, why not make it a neon yellow Mulberry one with a matching skirt? The models’ hair was teased up into candyfloss peaks that were shot through with faded streaks of pink and pale green, continuing the seaside theme.
Jewel-encrusted shift dresses, jackets and minis brought a tough take on glamour to the end of the collection – they glittered in the lights like disco balls, but had a hard edge at the same time. No shimmery delicate sequins here, these looked like shards of glass. And of course the bags were there in all their glory - Alexas jazzed up with bits of gleaming hardware which you know will become next season’s smash hits.
As always at Mulberry, there were lots of cute pooches - both in the catwalk and sitting wearing their special Mulberry jumpers in the front row. Further down the Frow Olivia Palermo brought some glossy New York glamour to the event. Mulberry is celebrating its 40th birthday this year and the brand continues to go from strength to strength, consistently producing covetable clothes and bags that manage to look both cool and classic. Everyone wants to be the Mulberry girl – a bit rock ‘n’ roll, sitting on the beach in her disco ball dress and fluorescent anorak eating chips enjoying a very British summer.
Fashion Week 2011Jaeger Spring/Summer 2012
Ashish Spring/Summer 2012
