London Fashion Week: The best bits...
It's been almost a week since we waved goodbye to London Fashion Week and my feet have just about recovered from spending five days (and nights) running around the city in 6 inch heels. With October mere days away it's high time for us to stop thinking about sumer collections and start trying to dig out our chunkiest knitwear and warm Winter coats. But before it get's so chilly we're forced to sacrifice or at least compromise style for practicality I thought it might be an idea to look back over London Fashion Week most covetable collections. After all, there's nothing like the promise of sartorial delights coming our way in six months time to render dark evenings and misty mornings that bit less bleak. With this in mind, here you have my personal pick of the best shows from London Fashion Week this season…
Jaeger London
From my previous Fashion Week experiences, I have deducted that the more famous fashion faces there are on the FROW, the later a show will start. With that in mind it came as no surprise that Jaeger London ran more than a little behind schedule. It was clearly one of the hottest tickets in town and Olivia Palermo, Jade Williams (AKA Sunday Girl), Laura Bailey and Donna Air pitched up causing a mass exodus of paparrazi to the venue. The show was certainly deserving of it's high profile attendees and Jaeger London's 70's inspired collection offered up an endless array of city chic summer staples. Think chiffon pleats, cropped jackets, delicate detailing and super cute collars galore. Retro print blouses, demure lace dresses and trim tailored shorts suits were all on the menu in a delectable palette pastel shades, rich browns and bold, summer-ready hues. Ok, so it wasn't pushing any boundaries but when the clothes are this covetable who gives a damn about making a statement?
Holly Fulton
Holly is one of the hottest design talents in London right now and as such her FROW was filled by some of the most respected names in the industry including BFC Chairman Harold Tillman and the impossibly glamourous Grazia's Editor-at-large, Melanie Rickey. It appears that the 70's is decade du jour for SS12 and the era which inspired Jaeger London and countless others also helped shape Holly Fulton's latest collection. Ever the individualist, Holly took next seasons' most frequently recurring trend and gave it her own spin to produce something exciting and utterly unique. What followed was an eye-popping array of disco-tastic looks featuring animal, tropical and Holly's signature graphic prints. The collection was a testament to Holly's craftsmanship and painstaking attention to detail with each look hand-embellished with sequins, studding, beading and fringing galore. Think super bright shades and louche, retro shapes in an eclectic mix of textures including everything from sleek silks to PVC, plastic and feathers. Unapologetically loud and undeniably fun, if your in search of the ultimate holiday wardrobe then this is it.
Burberry
Held in a breathtaking, glass roofed venue in the middle of Hyde Park, the Burberry show is probably the highlight of LFW's and unsurprisingly had the most star-studded FROW in town. Everyone from Rachel Zoe to Alexa Chung was in attendance and when Anna Wintour herself took her seat I very nearly fainted from excitement. The show was opened by Burberry's face-of-the-moment, Cara Delevigne and it's model line-up was every bit as A-list as the attendees with Jourdan Dunn, Arizona Muse and Abby Lee Kershaw all taking to the catwalk. The collection was a true testament to the sheer creative genius of the man behind them. Forget about Madonna, no one does reinvention quite like Christopher Bailey. Gone were last season's bright 60's shifts and luxe belted coats and the futuristic biker chic of the season before was little more than a distant memory. In place of these past inspirations came a collection that combined a 70's palette and 50's silhouette with an earthy vibe. The organic feel was further enhanced by Christopher's perfect choice of fabrics which saw the previous season's cashmere and metallics replaced with well-worn leather, woven wicker, wool and crisp cotton. An eclectic array of clashing patterns ranging from zig zag stripes to abstract shapes flooded the runway in rich shades of olive, plum, burgundy and brown with hints of citrus and royal blue. The look was somewhere between ladylike and navajo featuring A line skirts, cinched waists and neat sweaters combined with aztec inspired detailing and ethnic style accessories. Burberry's trademark trench coats had been taken back to the drawing board once again and reincarnated in a myriad of never-before-seen styles including striped, printed, cropped, embellished and re-worked with an almost sporty twist. As the models took their final walk the ceiling erupted with an explosion of gold embossed leaves and even the most hard faced FROWers couldn't help but crack a smile.
Temperley London
I take back what I said about Burberry being THE highlight of London Fashion Week. The Temperley London show is definitely a 'must-see'. The magnificent British Museum provided a perfect venue for the beloved British brand. Unsurprisingly the FROW was strictly A-List with Rosario Dawson, Laura Bailey, Poppy Delevigne and Juliana Reston Roitfeld all present and dressed in Temperley's finest. But it wasn't just fashion royalty in attendance that evening. A flurry of activity heralded the arrival of Pippa Middleton surrounded by a team of minders attempting (in vain) to keep the paparazzi at bay. The show that followed was hands down one probably the most mesmerizing I have seen during my fashion career so far. Alice truly outdid herself this season with an array of deliciously decadent ensembles, each one more breathtaking than the one before. Think St Tropez, Studio 54 and Cannes Film Festival all rolled into one and accesorized with sleek ponytails, oversized sunglasses and Greta Garbo-esque headscarfs. The collection skillfully avoided crossing the line into tackiness, instead exuding a louche, jet-set elegance. Silk jumpsuits in tropical prints and bedazzled gowns with plunging necklines, thigh high slits and flowing trains made for looks that that simply oozed red carpet glamour. From beaded French lace to embroidered organza, everything about Alice's SS12 collection was utterly exquisite and unapologetically luxurious, an absolute treat to behold.
Michael Van der Ham
Since Michael burst on to the scene mere seasons ago his extraordinary talent with textiles marked him out as one to watch and since then the designers star has only risen. His FROW was packed with industry insiders including Fashion East founder Lulu Kennedy, Harpers Bazaar Editor Kim Hersov and the one and only, Anna Dello Russo. Expectations were high for Michael Van Der Ham's latest offerings and the Dutch designer certainly did not disappoint. The collection was an incredible mixture of contrasting textures, bold colours and vintage prints. Silk satins, sheer chiffon and open weave cottons were combined with embossed brocade in metallic shades of turquoise and coral. But whilst the patchworked style for which he first made his name was still present, Michael's latest collection was sleeker, chicer and all together more elegant than what we've seen before. As well as layered, vibrant coloured day dresses, Michael gave us striking full length numbers, structured tweed jackets and tailored two-tone cigarette pants. The overall look was fashion forward with a laid back edge. Every bit as detailed as last season's collection but with a newfound subtlety that I, for one, adored.
Love Ella. x
For full details from all the shows plus backstage gossip and party reports go to La Petite Anglaise
Post Your Comment