Butterflies doing cartwheels in my tummy and the feeling that my consciousness has surreptitiously tiptoed away, adiposity wanting to take in everything… right now; it can only be the start of London Fashion Week.
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Paul Costelloe S/S 2012 by Amber Cassidy
It’s the first show of the day and there’s a rush of excitement bustling through Somerset House. I wait impatiently in the queue for the Paul Costelloe show, surrounded by familiar press talk and the occasional exclamation of ‘Darling!‘ kiss kiss – a scene which will be re-enacted many times during the this week.
Once inside, I find my seat at the front, secure my goody bag, retrieve my camera from my exhausted looking satchel and decide that taking notes and photographs at the same time is not achievable (for me, that is), so do away with my notebook. There’s a flurry of photographers suddenly surrounding guests further down the row and I want to see what all the fuss is about; It’s Jimmy Choo and Autumn Philips. A quick ‘snap snap’ with my decrepit camera and back to my seat before the show starts.
Out glides the first model, her hair in large messy but firm pin curls and knots pinned close to the head with eye-make up in pea green (one of my favourite colours) that jumps out at you. She wears a tailored suit in café au lait, with the jacket in a 1940’s inspired style; slightly puffed sleeves, tapered collar and a slim belt accentuating the waist. The skirt however conforms more to the style of the mini-skirt and with loose pleats the outfit looks effortlessly chic.
Hues of cream, grey and monochrome forge ahead; structured suits with pleated detail and baby doll dresses with flouncy sleeves and cap sleeves, high collars and ruff collars, and high waists, distinctive of the 1960s mod fashion. The 60’s influence continues through most of the collection, with sailor collars, high waists and short hemlines. Billowing sleeves meanwhile, and wide neck collars hint of the medieval.
The muted colours bloom into a concoction of pastels that remind me of a box of Parisian macaroons, in candy floss pink, bittersweet peach and mint ice-cream green. The rich brocade fabrics in these delectable colours ooze femininity and an inhibited playfulness, a characteristic synonymous with the 1960’s. The tailored jackets and shift dresses , evocative of Jackie Kennedy and Mad Men, too celebrate femininity.
The menswear collection harks to an era much further away with, Edwardian austerity pleasantly combined with the coquettishness of the New Romantics and a becoming bow to the seventies. Like the womenswear, the tailoring is excellent but never restrictive and is softened by rhythmic pleats, ruffles and capacious gauze and linen shirts. The colours adhere the relaxed and almost playful demeanour of the collection, from soft neautrals and intense indigo to colours of candy.
I especially love the way each outfit moves, simply and fluently and functionally! The pleats which seem to feature in many of the outfits are mesmerising to watch and sit beautifully on each piece. Paul Costelloe asserts his view on sandals and socks; a resounding yes to sandals with socks.
Paul Costelloe set out to produce a collection that combines the signature Costelloe style together with elements of vintage Parisian chic – I do believe he has succeeded.
If the consistent creativity and quality of Paul Costelloe’s collections are signs of things to come, I cannot wait to see his take on Autumn Winter 2012.
Play the video and watch the show.
Written by Akeela Bhattay on Sunday September 18th, 2011 11:47 am
If you’ve read my Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 preview interview with the designer, viagra sale you’ll know I’m already in love with her designs. The designer had invited me to pop backstage before the show to view her spring/summer collection up close and as I’d not experienced before, prostate the behind the scenes affairs of a fashion show, my curiosity was most definitely piqued!
Zooming past the infinite queue at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, I am escorted backstage by the lovely people of Blow PR, to the organised chaos of the catwalk performance in construction. I’m told Elisa is preoccupied right now, but if I return after the show, I may speak to her then. In the meantime, I decide to hover for a while, take in the scene and take some pictures.
With about twenty odd statuesque and fat free women towering over me, I’m feeling a little like a munchkin, but they look as nervous as I’m feeling, so I smile in support and swoon over their exaggerated 1920s style make-up and exquisite head-pieces. One minute they’re having their make-up applied and the next they’ve changed into one of Elisa’s opulent garments; everything is moving dizzyingly fast and the anticipation is transparent.
I spy Elisa, attired in her signature pink and adorning a pretty floral head-piece – she flits from one model to another, making sure all is as it should be. I realise I may be getting in the way as the phrase “excuse me” is directed at me for the umpteenth time and so I withdraw from the orderly pandemonium and retreat to the beautiful amphitheatre to await the performance.
If you’ve read my Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 preview interview with the designer, you’ll know I’m already in love with her designs. The designer had invited me to pop backstage before the show to view her spring/summer collection up close and as I’d not experienced before, the behind the scenes affairs of a fashion show, my curiosity was most definitely piqued!
Zooming past the infinite queue at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, I am escorted backstage by the lovely people of Blow PR, to the organised chaos of the catwalk performance in construction. I’m told Elisa is preoccupied right now, but if I return after the show, I may speak to her then. In the meantime, I decide to hover for a while, take in the scene and take some pictures.
With about twenty odd statuesque and fat free women towering over me, I’m feeling a little like a munchkin, but they look as nervous as I’m feeling, so I smile in support and swoon over their exaggerated 1920s style make-up and exquisite head-pieces. One minute they’re having their make-up applied and the next they’ve changed into one of Elisa’s opulent garments; everything is moving dizzyingly fast and the anticipation is transparent.
I spy Elisa, attired in her signature pink and adorning a pretty floral head-piece – she flits from one model to another, making sure all is as it should be. I realise I may be getting in the way as the phrase “excuse me” is directed at me for the umpteenth time and so I withdraw from the orderly pandemonium and retreat to the beautiful amphitheatre to await the performance.
Ann-Sofie Back | BACK S/S 2012 illustrated by Dee Andrews
It’s 7 pm on the first day of London Fashion Week and the rapid advent of my first catwalk show clash; do I see Ashley Isham or Ann-Sofie Back | Atelje? I’m not familiar with either, case though as I clearly requested these invites, I’m sure both must have appealed to me in some form or other. A quick look through past look books online and I’m still undecided. I spy the locations for each show and my mind is made up; Ann-Sofie Back | Atelje at the BFC tent it is. I refuse to walk all the way to Il Bottaccio (again) – one of this season’s London Fashion Week venues, located miles (well maybe just under two miles) away from the hosting venue, Somerset House. If nothing else, it’s a sensible choice and means little time spent queuing and the acquisition of a front row seat.
Michael of Anastasia and Duck comes and sits next to me and chats enthusiastically about Back’s previous London Fashion Week shows and the theatrical element to them; fear inducing ghosts and zombies I’m informed. Not many designers take advantage of the opportunity to stage a memorable avant-garde show, so I’m now super excited to experience this one.
Ann-Sofie Back | BACK S/S 2012 illustrated by Karla Perez aka Geiko Louve
So soon after the show commences, I’m a tad disappointed with the non-drama of the show, though if I’d read the press-release before, instead of after the show, the seemingly non-theatrical element would have made complete sense. This is because Ann-Sofie Back’s Atelje collection is inspired by religion and traditional Lutheran values coined Jantelagen; a set of axioms that frown upon and discourage success, conspicuousness, pride and satisfaction and acuity amongst other things:
The law of Jante
1. Thou shalt not believe thou art something.
2. Thou shalt not believe thou art as good as we.
3. Thou shalt not believe thou art more wise than we.
4. Thou shalt not fancy thyself better than we.
5. Thou shalt not believe thou knowest more than we.
6. Thou shalt not believe thou art greater than we.
7. Thou shalt not believe thou amountest to anything.
8. Thou shalt not laugh at us.
9. Thou shalt not believe that anyone is concerned with thee.
10. Thou shalt not believe thou canst teach us anything.
From Aksel Sandemose’s 1933 novel ‘En flygtning krydser sit spor’ (A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks)
Ann-Sofie Back | Atelje S/S 2012 illustrated by Dee Andrews
With Sweden being one of the most secularized countries in the world, these rules akin to the ideals of communism, appear contradictory to the character of the Nordic country. But it appears that Jantelagen is very much embedded into Swedish culture, economics and politics and is taken rather seriously.
Ann-Sofie Back doesn’t do savory inspiration; her collections are always a creative battle against or a fight for awareness of some form of oppression/suppression or other and the spring-summer collection is no different; a rebellion against Jantelagen.
Ann-Sofie Back | Atelje S/S 2012 illustrated by Dee Andrews
The garments appear almost two-dimensional in their simple paper like forms; crisp, clear and severe. The colours are neutral: white, sand, ink black and office blue maintaining the illusion of inconspicuousness. However, the acute stripes, the use of flattering soft and iridescent organza and careful features such as pin-tucks and precise folds and creases all offend the Jantelagen commandments by being defiant, boldly standing out and exuding confidence. I rarely wear mute colours, but the white apron dress and white skirt and stripy top ensemble would most definitely find a home in my wardrobe.
Ann-Sofie Back’s BACK collection certainly acquiesces far more to conventional inconspicuous and unostentatious fashion. Linen is the ruling fabric in the collection and is constructed into simple, loose shapes, but almost always accessoriesed with the signature motif, the skinny belt, inspired by – wait for it… Spaghetti! The knitwear is unpretentious and though I can’t touch the the fabrics and see how they feel, I have a feeling they would be a pleasure to wear.
My favourites in the BACK line are; the spacious hot pink linen dress and the long blue pleated skirt, very wearable, very chic. The collections haven’t blown my mind though the ideas behind them have certainly provoked curiosity, but they do however have commercial value.
Ann-Sofie Back | BACK S/S 2012 illustrated by Dee Andrews
It’s 7 pm on the first day of London Fashion Week and the rapid advent of my first catwalk show clash; do I see Ashley Isham or Ann-Sofie Back | Atelje? I’m not familiar with either, though as I clearly requested these invites, I’m sure both must have appealed to me in some form or other. A quick look through past look books online and I’m still undecided. I spy the locations for each show and my mind is made up; Ann-Sofie Back | Atelje at the BFC tent it is. I refuse to walk all the way to Il Bottaccio (again) – one of this season’s London Fashion Week venues, located miles (well maybe just under two miles) away from the hosting venue, Somerset House. If nothing else, it’s a sensible choice and means little time spent queuing and the acquisition of a front row seat.
Michael of Anastasia and Duck comes and sits next to me and chats enthusiastically about Back’s previous London Fashion Week shows and the theatrical element to them; fear inducing ghosts and zombies I’m informed. Not many designers take advantage of the opportunity to stage a memorable avant-garde show, so I’m now super excited to experience this one.
Ann-Sofie Back | BACK S/S 2012 illustrated by Karla Perez aka Geiko Louve
So soon after the show commences, I’m a tad disappointed with the non-drama of the show, though if I’d read the press-release before, instead of after the show, the seemingly non-theatrical element would have made complete sense. This is because Ann-Sofie Back’s Atelje collection is inspired by religion and traditional Lutheran values coined Jantelagen; a set of axioms that frown upon and discourage success, conspicuousness, pride and satisfaction and acuity amongst other things:
The law of Jante
1. Thou shalt not believe thou art something.
2. Thou shalt not believe thou art as good as we.
3. Thou shalt not believe thou art more wise than we.
4. Thou shalt not fancy thyself better than we.
5. Thou shalt not believe thou knowest more than we.
6. Thou shalt not believe thou art greater than we.
7. Thou shalt not believe thou amountest to anything.
8. Thou shalt not laugh at us.
9. Thou shalt not believe that anyone is concerned with thee.
10. Thou shalt not believe thou canst teach us anything.
From Aksel Sandemose’s 1933 novel ‘En flygtning krydser sit spor’ (A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks)
Ann-Sofie Back | Atelje S/S 2012 illustrated by Dee Andrews
With Sweden being one of the most secularized countries in the world, these rules akin to the ideals of communism, appear contradictory to the character of the Nordic country. But it appears that Jantelagen is very much embedded into Swedish culture, economics and politics and is taken rather seriously.
Ann-Sofie Back doesn’t do savory inspiration; her collections are always a creative battle against or a fight for awareness of some form of oppression/suppression or other and the spring-summer collection is no different; a rebellion against Jantelagen.
Ann-Sofie Back | Atelje S/S 2012 illustrated by Dee Andrews
The garments appear almost two-dimensional in their simple paper like forms; crisp, clear and severe. The colours are neutral: white, sand, ink black and office blue maintaining the illusion of inconspicuousness. However, the acute stripes, the use of flattering soft and iridescent organza and careful features such as pin-tucks and precise folds and creases all offend the Jantelagen commandments by being defiant, boldly standing out and exuding confidence. I rarely wear mute colours, but the white apron dress and white skirt and stripy top ensemble would most definitely find a home in my wardrobe.
Ann-Sofie Back’s BACK collection certainly acquiesces far more to conventional inconspicuous and unostentatious fashion. Linen is the ruling fabric in the collection and is constructed into simple, loose shapes, but almost always accessoriesed with the signature motif, the skinny belt, inspired by – wait for it… Spaghetti! The knitwear is unpretentious and though I can’t touch the the fabrics and see how they feel, I have a feeling they would be a pleasure to wear.
My favourites in the BACK line are; the spacious hot pink linen dress and the long blue pleated skirt, very wearable, very chic. The collections haven’t blown my mind though the ideas behind them have certainly provoked curiosity, but they do however have commercial value.
Basso & Brooke S/S 2012 illustrated by Joana Faria
There is no queuing for me at the Basso & Brooke show – I’m late, store having been seduced by ice-cream and pretty dresses at the Orla Kiely presentation and everyone has already been seated. So it’s fine luck that I found an unoccupied seat in the front row. As is usual at London Fashion Week, salve a celeb or two will make an entrance just before the show is about to commence and a riot of photographers will swoon in and blind bystanders with their imperious flashes.
Ana Araujo
Being naturally curious I want to know who it is as well. Later on I’ll discover the celebrity to be Ana Araujo, ed but meanwhile I snap a photo of her, tell she looks gorgeous when she smiles and rush back to my seat to await the start of the show.
An energetic beat silences the audience and the fantastic elliptical light display comes alive and dances to the rhythm building a dynamic ambience and giving the illusion of stars sparkling in the night sky. I’m hoping there aren’t any epileptics in the audience when the lights stand still and serene, welcoming an explosion of colour and print onto the stark white stage.
Colour and print have become synonymous with the Basso & Brooke brand and both designers are very much aware of this. So wanting to break away from the prison that had become symmetry and precision, Bruno Basso and Chris Brooke journeyed to bring digital print alive again, by disrupting the status quo of digital print. What transpired was a ‘Tropical Constructivism’.
Vibrant tropical images married with angular lines and sharp structures cloak the fluid cloth of each softly, but perfectly structured garment; short dresses, shirt dresses, maxi dresses and what appears to be a ‘salwar kameez-esque’ dress and skinny trouser outfit. One of my favourites is a shorts and jacket ensemble accessorised with cool retro shades. The hair is styled or rather, anti-styled in a straggly ‘I have better things to do’ pony tail, a distinct contrast to the conspicuous collection. I also love the accessorising (by Borba) of a few key outfits with what appears to be a cluster of karabiners and key-ring clips. Brilliant.
If putting clashing colours and prints together to form gorgeous wearable clothes wasn’t hard enough, Basso & Brooke challenged themselves with the idea of evolving patterns, so that each new piece in the collection bore the seed of the next. Impressive much? I think so.
Basso & Brooke S/S 2012 illustrated by Joana Faria
There is no queuing for me at the Basso & Brooke show – I’m late, store having been seduced by ice-cream and pretty dresses at the Orla Kiely presentation and everyone has already been seated. So it’s fine luck that I found an unoccupied seat in the front row. As is usual at London Fashion Week, salve a celeb or two will make an entrance just before the show is about to commence and a riot of photographers will swoon in and blind bystanders with their imperious flashes.
Ana Araujo
Being naturally curious I want to know who it is as well. Later on I’ll discover the celebrity to be Ana Araujo, ed but meanwhile I snap a photo of her, tell she looks gorgeous when she smiles and rush back to my seat to await the start of the show.
An energetic beat silences the audience and the fantastic elliptical light display comes alive and dances to the rhythm building a dynamic ambience and giving the illusion of stars sparkling in the night sky. I’m hoping there aren’t any epileptics in the audience when the lights stand still and serene, welcoming an explosion of colour and print onto the stark white stage.
Colour and print have become synonymous with the Basso & Brooke brand and both designers are very much aware of this. So wanting to break away from the prison that had become symmetry and precision, Bruno Basso and Chris Brooke journeyed to bring digital print alive again, by disrupting the status quo of digital print. What transpired was a ‘Tropical Constructivism’.
Vibrant tropical images married with angular lines and sharp structures cloak the fluid cloth of each softly, but perfectly structured garment; short dresses, shirt dresses, maxi dresses and what appears to be a ‘salwar kameez-esque’ dress and skinny trouser outfit. One of my favourites is a shorts and jacket ensemble accessorised with cool retro shades. The hair is styled or rather, anti-styled in a straggly ‘I have better things to do’ pony tail, a distinct contrast to the conspicuous collection. I also love the accessorising (by Borba) of a few key outfits with what appears to be a cluster of karabiners and key-ring clips. Brilliant.
If putting clashing colours and prints together to form gorgeous wearable clothes wasn’t hard enough, Basso & Brooke challenged themselves with the idea of evolving patterns, so that each new piece in the collection bore the seed of the next. Impressive much? I think so.
Having had the chance to see the behind the scenes activities for the Elisa Palomino show, ask I am super excited and eager for the show to begin. Unlike the other shows I have seen at the Freemason’s Hall, thumb this one is to be performed in a majestic chamber upstairs; a room very well suited for Elisa’s A Fairy Dance collection. I am early, so I sift through the press materials and study the inspirations behind the clothes.
The culture of Madrid played a significant part in the creation of the stunning collection, with the conception of the intricate embroidered motifs taking root from pieces like the traditional shawl, a garment very much present in the city’s fiestas even today. Elisa’s S/S 2012 collection aspires to reawaken the opulence of a far away era, as well as paying homage to the Asian influence on embroidery and the Victorian Fairy Painting movement and in particular the narratives of Pre-Raphaelite fairy paintings. The collection is an expedition from Victorian suppression and lament to the luxury of uninhibited freedom.
Slowly but surely, the room is teeming with guests and familiar faces, all ready to enjoy the treasures of Elisa Palomino‘s collection. An ethereal melody fills the air and out drifts a fairy in mourning, attired in tense black taffeta, net and leather and freckled in contrasting white floral print. The glossy onyx hairpieces resemble frightful inanimate crows, harbingers of bad news. The extensive palette of colours range from bold black, red and white, to the pretty; powder blue and candy-floss pink and the tones of an Indian summer; sand, caramel and antique gold.
Floral cut-work mutate into giant white butterflies, set for flight and ready to escape to a brighter existence. Rich crimson robes float across the runway giving way to pretty pastel coloured organza with flora and fauna motifs, carefully embroidered using the bobbin technique. Iridescent and visceral fabrics, in 1930s silhouettes and increasingly impressive headpieces command the stage next. Once again the embroidery is intricate and enchanting and there’s a chorus of “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing” from somewhere behind me as images of Chinese tea-houses and pagodas sweep past.
One of my favourite details is the row of fabric coloured buttons trickling down the side of floor skimming, pin-tuck detailed and appliquéd café au lait dresses. It’s a good thing I do not lack self-restraint or I’d very likely be tackling the models to the ground and fleeing with the stunning garments they are wearing. And what of the hairpieces? Are they not extraordinary? I especially have my eye on the bird cage design and make a note to find out more about the designer, Angel Amor.
Elisa Palomino’s A Fairy Dance collection is undoubtedly worthy of the label couture and I can easily see celebrities wearing such opulent garments at red carpet events.
A resounding applause fills the room as the show ends and I make my way backstage in hope of a meeting with the designer and comments on her S/S 2012 collection. Elisa greets me enthusiastically and insists I should have introduced myself earlier, though she’d obviously been incredibly busy. For somebody who boasts such a remarkable curriculum vitae, Elisa comes across as incredibly humble and sincere.
Her family and friends are eager to congratulate her, but she encourages me to go ahead and ask her a few questions. So she can get to celebrating her beautiful show, I keep the interview very brief before heading home for a cup of tea and daydreams filled with sheer fabrics, lilies and hummingbirds and glorious headgear. Read my post show interview with Elisa Palomino below:
What did you make of that reverberating applause?
It was very exciting to hear! Were you pleased with the performance of the catwalk show?
Well, it’s difficult to say when you’re backstage, but the girls look really happy. I think the make-up and hair were really amazing; the team from Tony & Guy and Lan (Nguyen) were so divine. They perfectly translated the entire theme.
How long did it take to build the collection with all the intricate detailing involved?
Oh, a long time. About seven or eight months. Will you be taking some time out to relax now?
Oh no, there’s never time to take a break unfortunately. Since I started designing my own collections I haven’t had the opportunity to take a break or a holiday. There’s always work to be done. I guess it requires a lot of devotion!
What will you be doing next? Have you already conceived ideas for your next collection?
Oh yes, I’m already working on my next collection. Can you offer any hints as to what we might expect?
I am taking inspiration from eccentric women and there will always be the influence of the same kind of periods, the 1920s and 30s.
Winners of Fashion Fringe 2011: Fyodor Golan S/S 2012 by Antonia Parker
If you’ve read Matt’s or my account of The Swedish School of Textiles show at Fashion Scout, dosage you’ll know it went on for an insanely long time. This means I’m ridiculously (half an hour!) late for Fashion Fringe, which is showing on the opposite side of the WC2 postcode, near Trafalgar Square. Once again I wonder if London Fashion Week organisers have conferred to place shows at nonsensical distances from each other just so that the frustration of the press may create humorous fodder for them.
Luckily I’m not one that insists on wearing heels at fashion week (or ever), so I’m able to run comfortably – well, as comfortably as one can in the relentless monsoon like rain and when one is wearing a wholly impractical maxi dress (I suppose that eclipses my wise footwear choice).
8 Northumberland Avenue is not easy to find, especially when the familiar sight of an impatient queue has vanished, leaving no sign that reveals ‘catwalk show here!’ So after zipping across the street twice, I finally stumble upon, quite literally, the Fashion Fringe venue. I’m out of breath and drowning in rain and sweat (not quite how I’d wanted to present myself), but I’m here and it appears the show hasn’t started yet. Phew.
My Fashion Fringe invite gets a scrutinising glance before someone is told to get a wristband on me and rush me into the arena. More running and I’m there. “You can stand anywhere at the back,” I’m told – this guy obviously hasn’t scrutinised my invite. I proceed to find my seat and of course, as luck would have it, my view is being obscured by those of a superior height. I complain about my predicament to my new neighbouring friends; they’re writing for a publication in Toronto and tell me they “loveAmelia’s Magazine“.
A fuss is being made of a couple of celebrities as they make their predictable late entrance and ‘flash flash, snap snap’ croon those domineering cameras. Damn it, I can’t see from where I’m sat, so naturally I take to the raised runway to peer at Claudia Schiffer and Roland Mauret, this year’s Fashion Fringe judges. The photographers are been ushered away, but I take my chance and ask Claudia and Roland if I may take a picture – “of course,” they agree and I triumphantly click the shutter on my camera.
The show is about to start and I can hear a voice shouting, “Quiet please!” I take a seat on the floor, knowing it’s the only way I’m going to get any half-decent pictures of the show. Sat across from me, Hilary Alexander offers me a smile and I hope it’s because she approves of my determination rather pitying my plight.
First up is the endearing partnership Fyodor Golan with their spring summer collection ‘Flowers of evil’, inspired by the anthology of the same title by Charles Baudelaire. The showcase narrates the story of a nymph (I’m guessing she’s a water nymph by the appearance of the straggly, uncombed, just out of the river after a star light dip hair the models are wearing) that experiences an excruciating metamorphosis.
The transition begins with her appearing in symbolic white, in contrasting textures; the strong and the delicate. Stencilled into the garments are birds as if signalling the fair creature’s desire to take flight and be free, whilst the gleaming gold choker that threatens to asphyxiate her, pulling her in to a world that promises contentment only in death.
As nature supports her frail demeanour, life appears brighter and the progressing metamorphosis reveals itself in form of a white dress veneered in vividly coloured blossom. The neck shackle however, remains, unforgiving.
The transformation sees the nymph freeing herself from the shackles of her former life and enjoying the dangerous opulence of the new and the darkest ebbs of human nature, but the shackle now replaced by her very own hair appears to reveal that she has become her own enemy. Golan Frydman and Fyodor Podgorny have clearly put a lot of thought in to the theatrical element of the show and this is very much evident as their nymph’s painful transition into maturity is depicted by an older than average model – not a common sight at fashion week, so a high-five to them!
The finale presents the protagonist in a severely structured, yet elegant black gown that trails the catwalk. Her head is held high, but her face hidden by a staggering collar, beautiful but all consuming. It’s a tragic tale and a timeless one, but the collection itself hasn’t quite enthralled me.
Fashion Fringe Runner-up: Heidi Leung S/S 2012 by Antonia Parker
After that dramatic performance, Heidi Leung’s collection inspired by Orientalism (‘East Asia and the Middle East’ highlights the press release) and 60s holiday photos appears a far more light-hearted an affair. The colour palette of lively greens, oranges and yellows, combined with a neutralising tan and blue and white checks incite summer days on sandy beaches, neon beach-balls and a nearly cloudless sky and picnics on a luscious green field dotted with pretty flora. The hair is styled simply; straight and easy with a prominent centre parting and the make-up complements with sixties’ neutrals and accentuated eyes.
I’m a massive fan of layering, but if you’re not, Leung’s collection is going to be wearisome to comprehend. Every outfit appears to be made up of at least three layers; sixties style gingham undies (which I love), a chiffon overlay with a mandarin collar and a loose cape or a coat to complete the look.
Leung also combines crochet and embroidery within her collection, revealing an element of couture (in its original sense) and the use of ancient handicrafts. The crocheted and embroidered pieces sit upon gingham foundations and hang from the neck. I must say these pieces resemble table runners I’m sure reside on an antique oak table somewhere, in the parlour of a country cottage where a village tea party is being enjoyed. I love this collection.
My favourite pieces include the frilly three quarter pants, reminiscent of undergarments of a past era, the knitwear, pleated tops and skirts and the long, softly moving, elegant coats. And have I mentioned the footwear? Okay, so a platform shoe covered in pastel coloured rosettes and secured with a transparent covering may not be the most flattering of foot accessories, but think about how much fun they’d be to wear? They’ve made me smile and I’m only looking at them.
Nabil Nayal is the final Fashion Fringe contestant showing his collection titled ‘All the Riches She Deserves’. The collection conveys the story of a wealthy heroine who is taken to safety as her mansion of splendour burns to the ground at dawn. The make-up and hair conform to the narrative with captivating smoky eyes and voluminous, gracefully wild locks; a look inspired by the 1970s.
Fashion Fringe Runner-up: Nabil Nayal S/S 2012 by Antonia Parker
The colours that empower the collection echo the tones of smoke, fire and ash and perfectly cloak the strong, modern and feminine silhouettes. Nayal’s innovative construction of his collection boasts a myriad of wonderfully cultivated techniques and the use of a whole host of fabrics and textures. The Syrian born and Sheffield raised designer uses soft leathers, luxury silk jacquards and transparent fabrics such as organza and chiffon to concoct a dynamic presence, a characteristic each of his pieces flaunt.
Nayal’s love and admiration for the fashions of the Elizabethan era are manifested in the bulbous ruffs of his magnificent capes, whilst his appetite for elegance is evident in the long, flowing gowns, most notably the kimono style dress in antique gold lace. The tailored tulip dresses and skirts endeavour to promote a sense of a strong, ambitious, feminine character that never fails to look chic.
Of all the competitors, I believe Nabil Nayal’s design appear the most expertly put together and the commercial aspect of fashion design has clearly been considered. I can certainly see the entire collection being bought and it adhering to the taste of many women, but would I wear the fastidiously put together collection? My desire for colour and eccentricity says “no”.
In contrast to my response to Fyodor Golan’s narrative, Nayal’s narrative isn’t one that I (or many others, I’m sure) can empathise with – I mean, how many of us enjoy power and wealth and the promise of a silk lined, jewel encrusted safety net, lest we fall?
I’m ready to mosey on home by the time the show ends; I’m exhausted and feeling a little faint (where’s the Vitamin Water when you need it?), but instead of being lead out of the venue, guests are taken down into the basement where the Fashion Fringe after-party is getting under way. I’ve never understood why these parties happily offer alcoholic beverages, but never provide decent non-alcoholic beverages. I feel like I’m being persecuted for being a non-drinker as I sip my medicinal tasting One Water.
A flurry of excitement commands the attention of the crowd; Claudia Schiffer, Roland Mauret and Colin McDowell take to the stage. A moment of silence, then Fyodor Golan are announced the winners of Fashion Fringe 2011. I hadn’t expected it, but I’m impressed that the judges haven’t simply been dragooned into championing the familiar and the chary. I’m very curious to see what Fyodor Golan will be delivering to the world of fashion in the future; I wonder if I could persuade them to create a collection around the poem ‘Lamia’ by Keats?
Some may think that having previewed this Spring/Summer 2012 collection in my recent London Fashion Week interview with Jasper Garvida would have dampened my excitement about the show, healing as I’d already seen it all, right? Let me tell you, I was more excited than a teenage girl turning up to her first dance (with cute boys and everything). Having chatted to the warm and sensitive Jasper about his collection, learning about the process and inspiration that went into it, I couldn’t wait to see it modelled on the catwalk at the luxurious Bloomsbury Hotel, which was a nice little break from the rush of Somerset House.
A restricted colour palette of black and white served as the perfect backdrop to what Jasper loves: his intricate hand-embellished details and natural ability to make feminine garments without them being saccharine sweet and over-the-top. For this collection, the silver and gold detailing as well as the circular prints were inspired by a painting that gave the collection it’s name: ‘Autour d’un Point’ by František Kupka.
Hemlines were either above the knee or down to the floor in a series of futuristic-meets-delicate dresses. Jasper showed off his sense of how to flatter the figure without showing too much (as opposed to recurring the boob and nipple-flashing trend that seemed to emerge this London Fashion Week).
Circular metallic panels made from silver and gold leather created beautiful frames for the shoulders, neckline and hips, as well as sequins cleverly folded and sewn in rows to look like heavy studding without all the extra weight. Perfect for the likes of socialite Lady Victoria Hervey, Katie Melua and MTV presenter Laura Whitmore who all atended the show and would most likely rather not be carrying a ton in studs while presenting the latest Lady Gaga video, attending an event or dancing around on stage. Two pieces that caught my eye (especially as I’d felt how surprisingly butter-soft and light they were in the studio) were the distressed silver and gold raincoat and a black dress with ‘studded’ gold pockets. I could already see many a celebrity stylist clamoring for the attention-grabbing yet wearable collection.
Fashion editor legend Diana Vreeland was the other main influence for Jasper and his S/S 2012, as he loves her individual sense of style (I’d also recommend watching some of her old interviews online, her bonkers and overly-dramatic way of talking fashion is second-to-none) and passion for the exotic. He was also inspired by her innate way of mixing contrasts, which he explored in this collection, creating garments that are hard yet soft and feminine with a strong silhouette thanks to defined silhouettes which reminded me a little of Jean Paul Gaultier and his strong definition of femininity.
As each model walked past I couldn’t help smiling with pride for Jasper. Details like pockets that stood away and out from the body perfectly aligned with the hips, and the last few dresses completely made from sequins to create a shimmering disco-ball effect got some audible squeals of joy. Sparkle and sequins can go so wrong so easily, but in the hands of Jasper and his team they became wearable and breathtaking without making the models look like they got ready for a New Year’s Eve party months too early. The dresses looked comfortable, and the workmanship shone through as I inspected how well-stitched the sequins were, even catching a glimpse of myself reflected in the dress.
Jasper is serious about well-made clothes (perhaps a couture line would be appropriate in the future) and it shows. I would however have liked to see the look pushed even further with a shoe or jewellry collaboration to compliment the outfits, imagining how incredible a pair of disco-ball Jasper Garvida shoes would look like with one of his tailored black or white dresses. Although in terms of completing the look, it has to be said that the hair suited the collection perfectly; a modern version of a Diana Vreeland-eque strong and high hairstyle sculpted into place with a lot of backcombing.
The Garvida crowd strike a pose
Our very own contributing writer Akeela Bhattay getting that perfect shot
When the show was over, Laura Whitmore and Lady Victoria Harvey both stayed to congratulate him, gushing over the collection (Laura has been a Jasper Garvida fan for a few seasons). I’m sure Jasper will also be getting more mentions, as the Head of Fashion at the Evening Standard, Maurice Mullen also attended the show, and many a blogger and editor hung around to get a snippet of what went into the collection. In-between socialites and TV presenters and other well-wishers I managed to give the beaming Jasper a quick congratulatory hug, safe in the knowledge that I’d already had the mother of all chats about the collection with him in the studio over a nice cup of tea.
Written by Alia Gargum on Friday September 23rd, 2011 10:39 am
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