London is done. The fashion pack has moved on to Milan. 66 catwalk shows in 6 days. It’s a lot to take in, even for the most hardened of editors and buyers. While the city plays second (third?) fiddle to its rivals New York and Paris, it finds favour in the unconventional. Emerging from a shadow of a recession, London’s spring shows were polished, poised and confident. The week was without a feeling of craziness, of controversy on the catwalk, where usually anything goes. It’s grown out of shock and awe, instead presenting something slick and new. And if there’s anything to learn from
London about next season’s fashion trends, it’s this: the woman is on top.
With the exception of Gray’s candied colour palette and crafty designs, or Burberry’s burnt-out biker chic, the general feeling from London is the return of the woman. After years of androgyny, the fashion pendulum has swung in new direction. Yes, Marc and Miuccia may have preempted the move, but the London designers have perfected it. Under a number of different guises, the old-faithful of femininity that is ladylike dressing is being modernised.
It was a week for celebrating beauty as designers envisioned a demure spring full of colour. Erdem was all romance with lace and chiffon, and as usual in full bloom; Roksanda Ilinic, the epitome of elegance, stamped her authority on evening wear with luxe fabrics in luscious tones; Clements Ribeiro, showing on schedule for the first time since their label’s relaunch, presented a cute collection of 40s style sweaters and tea dresses; while Jonathan Saunders worked colour, cut and an oomph of sex appeal into a collection of crisp tailoring, striped minis and 50s sundresses. Even Henry Holland, who made slogan tees fashionable again, showed maturity with a neat range of 70s influenced tropicana pieces.
It was a vision of loveliness. So perhaps we can say goodbye to the harems, the body cons, and the fringing and studding of seasons past, they’re ghosts now, and prepare ourselves for ‘proper dressing’.
London is done. The fashion pack has moved on to Milan. 66 catwalk shows in 6 days. It’s a lot to take in, even for the most hardened of editors and buyers. While the city plays second (third?) fiddle to its rivals New York and Paris, it finds favour in the unconventional. Emerging from a shadow of a recession, London’s spring shows were polished, poised and confident. The week was without a feeling of craziness, of controversy on the catwalk, where usually anything goes. It’s grown out of shock and awe, instead presenting something slick and new. And if there’s anything to learn from
London about next season’s fashion trends, it’s this: the woman is on top.
With the exception of Gray’s candied colour palette and crafty designs, or Burberry’s burnt-out biker chic, the general feeling from London is the return of the woman. After years of androgyny, the fashion pendulum has swung in new direction. Yes, Marc and Miuccia may have preempted the move, but the London designers have perfected it. Under a number of different guises, the old-faithful of femininity that is ladylike dressing is being modernised.
It was a week for celebrating beauty as designers envisioned a demure spring full of colour. Erdem was all romance with lace and chiffon, and as usual in full bloom; Roksanda Ilinic, the epitome of elegance, stamped her authority on evening wear with luxe fabrics in luscious tones; Clements Ribeiro, showing on schedule for the first time since their label’s relaunch, presented a cute collection of 40s style sweaters and tea dresses; while Jonathan Saunders worked colour, cut and an oomph of sex appeal into a collection of crisp tailoring, striped minis and 50s sundresses. Even Henry Holland, who made slogan tees fashionable again, showed maturity with a neat range of 70s influenced tropicana pieces.
It was a vision of loveliness. So perhaps we can say goodbye to the harems, the body cons, and the fringing and studding of seasons past, they’re ghosts now, and prepare ourselves for ‘proper dressing’.
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