Infectious pink
Knees went a little weak as soon as I clicked onto the forty-second look from the Giambattista Valli Fall 2014 couture collection. Could it possibly be any more beautiful? Without a doubt this is my favourite look from the shows so far.
Knees went a little weak as soon as I clicked onto the forty-second look from the Giambattista Valli Fall 2014 couture collection.
Could it possibly be any more beautiful? Without a doubt this is my favourite look from the shows so far. The red silk shirt with white piping looks like it ought to have a matching pair of shorts to go with it (pajama dressing sorted) but instead attached is a massive, larger-than-life, pink frilly skirt. The gradient in colour is brilliant and looks as if someone dipped the model into a bucket of bleach, slowly letting the colour seep out of the fabric. The retro sunglasses and floppy white scarf tied up in the model's hair zaps every bit of traditional glamour out of the look. It couldn't be more perfect.
Photos via style.com
J JS Lee aw14
For her autumn/winter collection, J JS Lee was inspired by camping. The collection was crisp and formal, anything but what you'd expect to wear on a trip where you stay in a tent. But there were traces of her inspiration throughout - cue coats with tire treds embossed across them and a colour palette taken straight from trees, their leaves and the sky.
For her autumn/winter collection, J JS Lee was inspired by camping. The collection was crisp and formal, anything but what you'd expect to wear on a trip where you stay in a tent.
But there were traces of her inspiration throughout - cue coats with tire treds embossed across them and a colour palette taken straight from trees, their leaves and the sky. One of my favorite looks was a cream and navy roll neck with the collar pulled up so high that it concealed part of the models face as well as a tartan coat that came paired with a matching clutch.
There wasn't a piece in sight that wasn't easy to wear - exactly the sort of collection that gets me weak in the knees.
John Rocha aw14
When I think of John Rocha a couple of things instantly come to mind. Among them is volume, romance and utter beauty. The designer's most recent collection had those trademarks in spades. The show was full of moody black dresses. Some looked like they had been spun together from spiderwebs that were slowly following apart
When I think of John Rocha a couple of things instantly come to mind. Among them is volume, romance and utter beauty.
The designer's most recent collection had those trademarks in spades. The show was full of moody black dresses. Some looked like they had been spun together from spiderwebs that were slowly following apart. Others were more robust and all encompassing. A particular red number was compiled of a multitude of layered fabric which transcended to the models face and head, nearly obscuring her view completely.
Some of my favorite looks included the pieces with flower appliqués layered on top of sheer skirts. Another top look was the white dress with an attached grey flower at the neck. All of the shapes were demure and classic but it was the grand adornment which set the mood and defined the collection.
With this collection Rocha took it up a notch. Everything was coherent, with a strong flow between pieces and a central thematic message running through each look. With this collection he nailed his classic silhouette but updated the dresses into simple pieces that people could easily wear. My absolute favorite look was the last one. It's a relatively basic shaped dress with a round neck and no sleeves. But the embellishment and mixture of fabrics and textures is what makes it a true Rocha gem.
Luxury with an edge
Pringle isn’t a brand I’m super familar with. Of course the name rings a bell, it channels a sophistication and a certain class. Turns out that Grace Kelly has been a fan since the 1950s, so it makes sense that I might be drawn to the company, right?
For some reason, when I received my invitation to the Pringle of Scotland show during London Fashion Week, I was really excited.
Pringle isn’t a brand I’m super familar with. Of course the name rings a bell, it channels a sophistication and a certain class. Turns out that Grace Kelly has been a fan since the 1950s, so it makes sense that I might be drawn to the company, right?
When I arrived at the show venue I was blown over. It was my first time going to a salon show, where you sit at little tables with breakfast and watch the show. Seriously, it was decadence taken to a whole other level. I sipped coffee, nibbled on delicious treats and watched beautiful clothes on even more beautiful people saunter by. I was pinching myself. The whole experience of attending the show was incredible.
Needless to say, the collection was amazing. Literally I wanted to wear just about every single look from head-to-toe. In a world where I am far more chic, I’d opt for heels like the models wore... but in reality I’d pair every outfit with a pair of slip on Vans and be good to go.
Pringle was founded in 1815 and first started out producing hosiery and underwear. Today they’ve moved into the luxury arena and are knocking the ball out of the park with their new 3D printed knitwear designed alongside architect and material scientist Richard Beckett. My favourite items included the slouchy jumpers and trousers combinations plus a little black dress with white fringe detailing along the bottom hem. The return of the Pringle of Scotland lion emblem secured a serious soft spot in my heart as it gave homage to the brands long history without being too ostentatious. A white polo shirt, made from 100% silk, had my heart beating fast and, in general, I loved the mix of laid-back separates paired with more refined silhouettes.
In my dream world, I’m a Pringle girl through and through.
Photos taken at the Pringle of Scotland AW14 show.
LUCAS NASCIMENTO ss14
You know that feeling you get when you go to a museum and you've been there for a couple of hours?You've seen so many paintings by incredible artists that you've become overwhelmed by it all. Your mind is a muddle and it has all melted into each other. No matter how breathtaking the next piece is it won't register with you - you've seen too much. At the time I didn't realize it, but that's how I felt when I saw the Lucas Nascimento spring 2014 collection.
You know that feeling you get when you go to a museum and you've been there for a couple of hours?
You've seen so many paintings by incredible artists that you've become overwhelmed by it all. Your mind is a muddle and it has all melted into each other. No matter how breathtaking the next piece is it won't register with you - you've seen too much.
At the time I didn't realize it, but that's how I felt when I saw the Lucas Nascimento spring 2014 collection.
It was my last show of fashion week. After five days, I'm pretty sure a parade of circus freaks covered in sparklers wouldn't have gotten a reaction out of me. Four months later and now the collection finally makes sense. It was elegant and paired back. There was a quietness and reserved atmosphere to the looks. They didn't try hard or demand attention, they simply were.
The models were intended to be in a state of undress. Some looked as though they had just stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around their waist. The colour palette was airy and ethereal with sherbet shades of orange and icy blues thrown in. Most of the fabrics were light and billowy but there was a selection of heavier leather pieces thrown in that added substance.
My favorite part was undoubtedly the simplest: spaghetti strapped tops that gently fell off the shoulder, thereby, creating the perfect undone feeling. That's definitely something I'll be adding to my box of tricks come spring. All the while knowing that it's not accidental but rather a nod to one of London's hottest new designers.
Photos by The Style Crusader.
A bright future
So, before I go and pop a hernia on this delightfully sunny Monday morning I thought I'd best pour out my thoughts on the Celine AW 11 collection that landed in Paris yesterday. As I'm sure you already know, Ms Philo has been rocking the fashion world with her notoriously cool and achingly minimal creations: read tonal milky colour combinations, silky draped fabrics that billow in the most flattering of ways, block colours in shades that will make you pee yourself, and oversized gloriously soft handbags in the most non-discript of shapes... but with the all important perfectly clean 'Celine' etched in (because otherwise it might as well be from Zara). More than an obnoxiously loud 70s revival or a banana print, what Celine sends down the runway quietly influences what real women will be wearing for the season to come. Which is why I nearly popped a vein when I saw her AW11 collection on Style.com this morning...
Taking the whole seventies revival a wee bit too literally, one might argue, came this tripartite wooden cabinet creation. Literally including everything but the kitchen sink... because surely even those weren't wood effect back then? While I might be to young to remember when this trend rocked the kasbah the first time around I think I'll pass go on this one, because if it's too heinous for my cupboards it doesn't belong on my body*.
Ah, if anyone can single handedly bring back the white roll neck... This, for me, is Celine at its best. An austere, no fuss, sleek approach to dressing. Celine manages to continuously reinvent simplicity and minimalism in a way that looks decidedly familiar yet new. If this collection is anything to go by, come September we'll all need a pair of slit ankle trousers with a vertical half stripe, pops of red, pointy tan booties, and a grown out fringe that we can sweep to the side. Well, at least the last one won't put a dent the size of China in our bank accounts.
* how fickle is it that the 70s wooden cabinet print is already starting to grow on me? but not head to toe... well, I say that now...
All images from Style.com. View the entire Celine AW11 collection here.