La Petite Style Awards 2011
Kate Middleton's wedding dress:The fashion moment of 2011?
What to choose as the subject for my final post of 2011 has been a constant source of panic over the past few weeks. I couldn’t quite bring myself to round up the year with yet another article on what to buy your mum/boyfriend/family dog for Christmas. But then last week, it came to me, what better way to wave goodbye to 12 months of fabulousness than a celebration of the years’ fashion highlights? Whilst puzzling how to construct said post I got to thinking the annual celebration of all things stylish that took place just last week, the British Fashion Awards. Having spent the best part of an afternoon analyzing the judges’ decisions when I should really have been writing an essay I decided to share my favourite fashion moments of 2011 by awarding a few prizes of my own. Sadly I can’t cough up for a lavish bash at The Savoy like the BFA’s but pop on a nice frock and pop open a bottle of Prosecco and La Petite Style Awards should feel almost as glam!
Best Fashion Moment: The Royal Wedding
There really is one possible winner, the royal wedding. But I’m not just talking about that dress. No, in my opinion it was good, old Queenie who really stole the show in her bang-on-trend lemon ensemble. Kate Middleton's dress was as divine as Pippa’s derriere was pert but pulling off head-to-toe yellow? Now that’s what I call style.
Best High Street Store: Whistles
This probably wont come as a big surprise but my high street store of the year just has to be Whistles. Ok so they’re a wee bit pricier than Topshop but in terms of cut, fabric, design and just about everything else it’s oh-so-worth spending that little bit more on a Whistles wonder. During the Summer I lusted after their pleated chiffon maxi’s and saccharine shades and now I’m obsessing over their chunky knits and rich hues. Having seen what’s in store next season I can’t see this love affair ending any time soon.
Best Designer Collection, SS11: Erdem
I don’t think I could ever tire of Erdem’s SS11 collection. Ok, so the Canadian born designer may not have been pushing any major sartorial boundaries last summer but when the frocks are this delectable, who the hell cares!? Since launching his eponymous brand back in 2005 Erdem has skyrocketed to fashion stardom. This well-deserved success is no doubt down to many different things but I’d argue that above all, it’s due to the fact that he makes dresses women really want to wear. After all, who wouldn’t feel pretty in one of these garden party perfect confections?
Best Designer Collection, AW11: Gucci
When it comes to unadulterated glamour, no one does it better than Gucci. This season the Italian fashion giant offered up a collection so unapologetically luxurious and exquisitely chic that even the most die-hard patriotic Brits couldn’t help but crave a little dolce vita.
Best Newcomer: Simone Rocha
Now I’m not suggesting for one second that youngsters should necessarily follow in the professional footsteps of their parents but I can’t help but think it would’ve been a shame if Simone Rocha hadn’t inherited some of her father’s incredible design talent. Luckily for us, this is clearly not the case. After graduating from the ultra prestigious MA Fashion Design course at Central Saint Martins, Simone went straight on to show on-schedule at London Fashion Week with Fashion East, the initiative responsible for helping to launch the careers of Roksanda Ilincic, Richard Nicoll and Jonathan Saunders to name but a few. This year alone Simone was chosen as one of Selfridges’ “Bright Young Things”, had her AW11 collection picked up by Colette and launched a capsule collection for Topshop. Yep, I think it’s safe to say that 2011 has been Simone Rocha’s year and the fashion world waits with baited breath to see what this talented lady has yet to come.
Best of the Blogs: Fashion Foie Gras
Sadly I don’t feel I can use this post to shamelessly plug my own blog so instead I’m going to award “best of the blogs” to the fabulous and ever informative, Fashion Foie Gras. From Fash Mag covers and Fashion Week Gossip to must-have buys, outfit inspirations and even restaurant reviews, Fashion Foie Gras is a beautifully presented and even more beautifully written compilation of everything worth knowing. As Founder/Editor Emily Johnston so succinctly puts it, FFG is “where the good, the bad and the controversial in fashion news are force fed daily.”
Style Icon of 2011: Florence Welch
Now if I thought choosing my favourite collections was difficult, that was nothing compared to naming my style icon of the year. Alexa, Olivia, Cara, Juliana… with so many sickeningly well-dressed women around (sorry boys, none of you even came close) deciding who’s wardrobe I most want to raid is no easy task. But after one look at the January edition of British Vogue things suddenly became rather simpler. Who else could possibly be this years’ style icon than the flame haired songstress who’s ethereal and oh-so-stylish presence managed to overpower the clothes at the Chanel show this September? Over the past year Florence has truly been at the top of her game, and I’m not talking about her best selling records. Rocking everything from vintage Gucci to next season Roksanda Ilincic with her mesmerizing, otherworldly glamour, Florence is every inch a modern day icon.
For more festival dressing tips from Ella check out La Petite Anglaise
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