For me, this season at London Fashion Week is shaping up to be almost as disastrous as the last (when I accidentally left all my weekend show invites locked in the SheerLuxe offices in south London). The weather has been horrendous - dark, drizzly, freeeeeezing and generally not conducive to stylishness - I was struck down with the lurgy and TFL conspired to mess up my carefully planned schedule at every opportunity. However, I had a little help from a girl named Emily. We’ve never met before but when I put out a message on Twitter saying I had a ticked to PPQ that I wouldn’t be using (due to said lurgy) and was there anybody who might fancy going in my place, she responded in a flash.
An elaborate plan was constructed: I hid the ticket along with an invite to the afterparty in WHSmiths, behind a book on business psychology (seemed a safe place. I couldn’t imagine that many people would be desperate to lay their hands on a copy) in Waterloo station for Emily to then retrieve. But as I arrived home I got a call from her – she’d followed my instructions but the tickets had gone. Somebody must have seen me hide them and nabbed the invites for themselves! The outrage! Either that or The Psychology of Business is a more popular title that I’d thought. I got another call moments later - she’d been searching in the wrong WHSmiths. She’d found them (panic over, mission accomplished) and she even offered to write up the show for Salute to Style…
If one thing’s for sure it’s that London’s infinitely cool Amy Molyneaux and Percy Parker of PPQ really know how to put on a show at London Fashion Week. With an impressive front row following (Paloma Faith, Jaime Winstone, and Kimberely Walsh
to name a few), the best show beats (Ms Nicki Minaj, Lil kim and Busta Rhymes) and their signature effortlessly edgy aesthetic, this is a show not to be missed.
After late shows and ticket mix ups, I was running fashionably late as I made my way to PPQ at the BFC show space, squeezing my way through what seemed like hundreds of angry paps, thirstily pushing and shoving for that all important pic of
Paloma Faith. Once the celebs were finally seated, and the lights had dimmed, the sound of Nicki Minaj’s ‘Dungeon Dragon’ filled the room and the show had begun.
One by one the models marched down the runway in a series of black and grey body con dresses with exaggerated sleeves and ruffled Victoriana style blouses. The tone and feel of the collection was overtly gothic, yet still sexy, refined yet edgy, sticking
to a colour palette of blacks, grey and purple, with cut out panels and over-sized sleeves that added interest. Whilst the overall silhouette was kept simple and sharp, the designer duo laid heavy emphasis on detailing and accessories. Collars were high and extreme, whilst shoulders were boxy and full. In terms of styling, buttons and ribbons were in abundance and catwoman style headwear was a perennial piece.
A favourite piece was a simple black dress, accentuated with lace at the arms and shoulders and teamed with a ruffled lace collar and giant ball and chain necklace, the fiercest of accessories. Towering platform heels with juxtaposing textures of lace,
suede and leather finished off the look. PPQ did not disappoint, delivering a collection that was sexy and sleek, with a characteristically rough edge; I had been well and truly seduced.
Following the show was the infamous PPQ after party, an invite only affair situated in the Millibank tower on the 23rd floor of the building with beautiful views over the river. After a long wait in the cold, we were finally allowed in to mingle with the glamorous crowd and experience Musical delights included songstress Claire Maguire’ acoustic set complete with beat boxer, as well as appearances from new talent Pushing Hands and Natt Weller (yep, Paul Weller’s son). Sipping on a raspberry mohito watching the world go by at one of the most exclusive venues in London was certainly worth the wait, however after a 6am start my bed was calling and it was time to bid goodnight to an exciting first day at London Fashion Week.
You’ll probably be utterly unsurprised to learn that I have a bit of a penchant for any platform that marries fashion with technology. Nowness floors me with its seemingly agenda-less beauty. The film of Lily Donaldson’s tumbling ‘Flying Hair’ for example:
As does SHOWstudio with virtually everything it ever produces, but the latest fascination of mine is editorial come to life. Moving, shop-able content that puts a stop to the frustration of never being able to track down the pieces you’ve seen in a magazine.
Most recently Net-a-Porter.com did it with their new ‘watch it, shop it’ TV channel, but pioneering this development is one of my favourite sites Pret-a-Rever.com.
I asked founder Lucy Norris to tell all:
1. Explain the premise of Pret-a-Rever.com
PretARever is a fashion and culture magazine that focuses on directional
trends. The really interesting thing about PretARever is that it
intelligently combines shopping and editorial, as luxury items are all
curated within the stories. Being inspired – and actual physical shopping
often happens in two different places. Therefore, I wanted to cut out the
stage in the process where people often get lost – the part where they have
to remember which magazine they saw something in, and get themselves to a
shop. The capability to actually shop stories, that discuss not just
fashion – but world issues (whether they be cultural, political or
environmental) – is empowering.
Above all PretARever is about fashion, luxury and the world at large. That
is it. No celebrities, no high street labels.
As a trend forecaster, I respect fashion, just as anyone else would
respect art. I want consumers to not only be privy to ‘get ahead trends’,
but for them to see that fashion really matters.
2. In roughly five sentences tell us about an average day in the
Pret-a-Rever.com office
Fundamentally, no day is the same. The weeks are carved up into
intense periods of completing various tasks. I study the runways shows in great
detail, and will spend a week doing nothing but this, for 12 hours a day.
Then, once I understand the trends, I’ll delve deeper. I’m lucky enough -
some days – to just be researching the origins of the season’s
trends/collections – that’s when I am happiest. 3. What is the future for the site?
To reach beyond the fashionistas, and to the intelligent women who write off fashion as silly. 4. Give us three reasons why we should all log on to
Pret-a-Rever.com right now
Well, if you loved Marc Jacobs A/W 2011 dotty collection this week, in NY,
then you should check out our Balenciaga’s Spain story. With an ‘origin of
a polka dot’ take on things, look to the flamenco for inspiration -
and shop some get-ahead polka dot pieces now – because the stores will be
full of them come July.
If you want to understand why the colour orange is so big this season,
take a glance back at our A/W 2011 ‘Rabanne’s Patina’ story. No one else
seemed to be talking about orange or rust, we covered it first – last July.
The third reason? Well that’s up to you. As much as I embrace trends, I
see them not as a dictatorship, but something you decide upon. Fashion is
about cherishing your choices. I want PretARever to help you find a trend
you might just love forever.
5. What’s your top tip for clothes shopping online?
Shop early. The pre-collections are where all the get ahead pieces are.
Designers are doubling the size of these collections, because they are
commercially so successful. Get online early and shop Cruise and Pre-Fall.
Not only will your luxury item be relevant for longer, you can bag yourself
a mainline hero piece three months earlier. Designers often drop in an
exclusive preview piece for all those die hard trendsetters…
So there you have it. Lucy has just published some hot off the press stories to coincide with LFW – not to be missed people…
Thanks to Jil Sander’s SS11 catwalk all I can think about at the moment is colour – neon yellows and florescent pinks worn with leather leggings and pristine white t-shirts.
I’ve been stocking up on a few blindingly bright basics from American Apparel but my real hero piece for the trend is this Elizabeth & James waistcoat. I bought it last year from TheOutnet.com and it’s turned out to be one of those brilliantly timed purchases. Until the weather heats up I’ll be wearing it over the top of a leather biker jacket.
Another micro trend for SS11 – the tassel. Swinging from the handle of your bag or dangling freely from a cord belt, it’s an easy way to add a playful element this summer.
