Monthly Archives: September 2010

LONDON FASHION WEEK: DAY 1, 2 & 3

Posted on September 20, 2010 | 1 Comment

Remember that bit in The Devil Wears Prada where Miranda Priestly intimates that nobody really cares about London Fashion Week? Ooh it irks me massively. The fact that LFW is the most pioneering and fresh of the big four ought to be universally recognised and appreciated. Here’s a reminder of what makes LDN so special…

Sass & Bide

Hannah Marshall

Emilio de la Morena

Topshop Unique

Charles Anastase

Basso & Brooke

Mary Katrantzou

Richard Nicoll

Matthew Williamson

Julian Macdonald

Michael van der Ham

Vivienne Westwood Red Label

Antonio Berardi

Noticing some trends now? They’re crowding my mind – preventing me from getting my eight hours at night – so anticipate some lengthy posts soon.

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Posted in SS11 Catwalk Shows, SS11 Trends, Uncategorized

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK ROUND-UP

Posted on September 16, 2010 | Leave a comment

It’s almost our turn London! But first here’s what you need to know about the shows from NY…

We’re going to see a lot of AW10 repetition next summer – lady-like longer lengths, transparency, camel colours, minimalism…the list goes on. But one of my favourite new trends is what I’m calling ‘blinding brights’. Acidic yellow popped up on several of the NY catwalks (a shade shown at Michael Kors was so intense I actually had to avert my eyes) and I love this feminine bow-waisted dress by Marc Jacobs.

Interesting also are the cropped wide-leg trousers. If it can translate to real women’s bodies and remain flattering then this could be a mico-trend next season.

Expect more leather for SS10, but with an edge this time around – Lazer-cut at 3.1 Phillip Lim or super shiny at Reed Krakoff.

Shorts have been absolutely everywhere at NYFW and are going to be the biggest fashion story of next summer. The celebs have already caught on – how many evening shorts have we seen on the red-carpet recently?

Belts are also carrying over from AW10 – love this tasselled one by Phillip Lim.

Shirts buttoned all the way to the collar (and actually just collars in general) will be a styling focal point next season. Hair should be pulled back for full effect.

Complex layering (the type that makes you question if it’s one single piece or several working together) has featured in several collections (Phillip Lim’s dress caused particular confusion front row).

Is this rusty gold look a little nod to McQueen’s final collection?

More billowing maxi dresses with ethereal sheer layers. Hem-lines look set to stay below the knee as a rule.

Pleats have been creeping in for a while now (I bought a floor-length pleated maxi this week in fact). Could it possibly have something to do with Sex and the City 2 and those Halston Heritage dresses?

My favourite show from NYFW. Jason Wu’s high-waited trousers (the trouser invasion is still going strong next season), and petal and bow detailing work so incredibly well with those all important styling touches (the saucer sunnies and electric blue turbans were a stroke of genius).

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Posted in SS11 Trends

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CLEAVAGE IS FASHIONABLE AGAIN!?

Posted on September 5, 2010 | 3 Comments

You’ve probably noticed that every September issue on the stands is heralding the death of print and embellishment this season. The editors agree that Balmainia era clothes – defined by sharp shoulders, sequins, and unforgiving bodycon – were designed primarily to suit the girls who modelled them on the catwalks – fawn-legged six footers who’ve barely finished puberty.

The return of real clothes – comfortable, uncomplicated and (this is the clincher) made for grownup women with boobs, hips and a bum – has been welcomed universally.

I’ve always been fascinated by the way sartorial trends simultaneously equate to a specific fashionable body shape. This season bust-ruffles at Prada have marked the renaissance of our love affair with cleavage. Not 90s Wonderbra cleavage – it’s different and more modern somehow – but something which is possibly just as blatant (Blake Lively’s Preen number caused quite a furore back in July, though I quite liked it myself.)

It’s refreshing to get some respite from what has been a definite legs phase in fashion, though I fear we’ll probably see demand for breast augmentations (already the most popular cosmetic procedure in the UK) skyrocket.

Hmmm…cleavage, are we glad it’s back?

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Posted in AW10 Trends

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THE RETURN OF BIBA

Posted on September 1, 2010 | Leave a comment

Okay, I’m going to level with you dear readers. I’ve been back from Ibiza since the early hours of Sunday morning and I still feel exhausted. I want to sleep for 1000 years but real life must commence. I have plans for a big, heavy, serious post this week (god knows it’s overdue) but for now I’m easing myself back into blogging with a little story on the return of Biba.

What do we know about the old Biba? It was an iconic London fashion fixture circa the 60s / 70s. Owned by the gloriously named Barbara Hulanicki who described the Biba clientèle as ‘postwar babies who had been deprived of nourishing protein in childhood and grew up into beautiful skinny people: a designer’s dream.’ (you just went way down in my estimations Babs.) The company folded in 1975 and after a couple of half baked attempts at a relaunch the latest venture comes via House of Fraser…

What do we know about the new Biba? It’s not going the way of clean simplicity and minimialsim I can tell you that much. New Biba is embellishment – sequins, feathers, beading, ruffles – akin to the Balmainia era.

Perhaps not my cup of tea but they have done a zzzzzexy leopard print faux fur coat (which at £150-£200 is actually a lot more reasonable than I was expecting) and a gold necklace inspired by the Biba logo, which in my eyes was always the best thing about Biba.

The brand new collection drops in stores and online on the 9th September. Check it out, if only for old time’s sake.

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Posted in Press Days

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