Burberry S/S12 London

This awful summer seems to have depressed all the designers to the point where there have been lots of jackets, jumpers and some seriously subdued colours.  And I thought it was only me.  Of course you would expect Burberry to show outerwear and there were lots of quite bulky jackets and slimmer coats which I optimistically hope I won’t be needing next summer. In fact there was quite a lot of volume generally, but I preferred the more form-fitting looks, some of these in great stripe combos.  African and batik prints were very on trend, shown with a plain other half, and there was some kind of women’s craft group technique on most looks, be it raffia work, beading, crochet, braiding, overstitching etc. I really didn’t like the hats though.

Source: Style.com

Mary Katrantzou S/S12 London

To say this collection is less stylized than Mary Katrantzou’s previous ones seems like  an odd word to use in this context, but after those lampshades and pictorial interiors,  this show’s themes are more subtle and tenuous, hardly surprising perhaps when the notes for the show said the inspiration ‘was a chance encounter of a crushed Cadillac and a field of wild flowers at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean’.  The  imagery is still stunning and presented in bold strokes and following her clues you can see all the elements there: the animal prints, scales, feathers and flowers, and the metallics too, the tin cans and car parts both in print and literally appliqued to the clothes. Despite the intellectual angle to her work, these clothes are made to fit and flatter.  If there is a single piece I would buy if I could from all the London shows so far, this first dress below would be it. I love the long sleeves contrasted with the sexy half shoulder, the patterns are colourful and intriguing and it looks so fluid.

Source: Style.com

Paul Smith S/S12 London

On a personal note, this was one of the collections I managed to catch the official bus to- it still gives me a nice sense of satisfaction to ride on around my city on a bus saying ‘LFW Press’.  But back to business: Paul Smith concentrated on trousers in three shapes for this collection. The models looked like the kind of grungry, cool, slouchy girls who tuck their boyfriend’s shirt into their trousers and off they go.  There was less pattern here than elsewhere and he put together some interesting almost clashing block colours, though generally the palette was a muted one of whites, browns and pale pastels. There were lots of little tie belts in varying shades of brown. Not a hugely exciting collection but with some definite staples.

Erdem S/S12 London

Erdem Moralioglu’s collection was the usual feminine and floral combination he achieves so well.  This show was not for the budding goth.  With its inspiration the French coming-of-age novel ‘Bonjour Tristesse’, it’s a look that translates just as well to the Hamptons, with its old-school Kennedy-esque gloves and little two pieces.  The florals were cool blues and yellows, white lace and some very sexy and moreish nude organza.  And again, the scraped back hair worked very well here too, especially with the bold tangerine lipstick.

Source: Style.com

People Watching at LFW Part III

More from Somerset House…..

Marios Schwab S/S12 London

Marios Schwab’s was the first show I’ve seen over the week that dramatised the runway itself with a V of drapes through which the show was chanelled.  The show notes say that he was trying to portray an attitude rather than a theme and as soon as the models sauntered down the runway we didn’t need notes to tell us this was Film Noir territory, with the mysteries of light and shade and concealment and exposure. Katy England styled the show and she let the clothes very much speak for themselves because it was in the shadows created by the movement of taffeta and chiffon, of sheer black overlaying a pastel underdress, of the play of light on the models’ bodies through the perforations in the fabric that made this collection so subtly seductive.   Mediterranean fishermen’s nets were also refernced, and their black was offset interestingly by the whites and lilacs.

Nicole Farhi S/S12 London

Front row at Nicola Farhi was Anna Wintour’s unmistakeable trademark bob, a mere three rows in front of me, also model Douglas Booth, Marina from Marina and the Diamonds and model Irina Lazeraneau. The colours of this collection were certainly summery, with lots of looks in bright yellows and sporty whites, and a range of hot orange, pink and red tones.  A garden in Delhi was accredited in the programme notes as being behind the thought-process in this collection: she had over-sized flower prints blurred onto mesh and canvas, elsewhere raffia and appliqued plastic flower shapes.  I liked the sparkely orange lattice dress, and some beautiful lazer cutting on a  white top and dress that were for me the highlight of the show. The pulled back hair with the red lips complemented the looks well.

Peter Pilotto S/S12 London

The design duo behind the Peter Pilotto label may well be my favourite (followed a close second by Proenza Schouler).  This was another gorgeous show, apparently inspired by a trip to Indonesia, but seeming more like a riff on a digitalised underwater seascape, all swirling water patterns, shafts of sunlight, whirling octopus arms, fish tails, floating aquatic plants.  There is just so much going on in here. Like the lampshade collection of Mary Katranzou this was a variation on a theme run riot, but like hers, handled surely and with such a sense of putting the clothes first.  I loved all the  geometric shapes, reminiscent of Bridget Riley patterns, I liked the way different recurring patterns worked together on  different elements of a garment. I thought showing full skirts and pencil skirts was a good mix and an acknowledgment that not all women suit one shape, ie that ballooning A-line below the knee skirt which I honestly haven’t seen anyone look good in, no matter what size, shape or height. The almost wet look on the faces of the models was a great touch. And I absolutely love the shoes, a collaboration with Nicholas Kirkwood gave us flowery perspex, colourful and fun….where can I put my name down on a wish list for them?

Source: Style.com

People Watching at LFW Part II

Another people parade from Somerset House.  As I said before, I haven’t picked out anyone specifically for their style or lack of it, I just took lots of photographs to try to catch the mood of what people are wearing.

Antonio Berardi S/S12 London

Antonio Berardi seems to design with a strong, warrior woman in mind, and this collection he played with men’s tailoring, leather and beaded panelling to armour his models, at the same time maintaining elegance and allure. A hard racer neckline on a black dress and some arching hemlines were set against some soft and slouchy trouser suits, and metallics and beading were overlayered and softened with sheers.  His clothes require serious attention with their interplay of texture, layering and silhouette. I love the first look below, with dark lips, gothic but chic, which went perfectly with his themes.  There was a lot of white, as there has been throughout the week so far, and also black, but his pink, red and aqua variations were eye-catching.

Source: Style.com