(As Published in Sussex Life Magazine)
The big names of the fashion world returned for the 25th anniversary of London Fashion Week and it won’t be long before the designs arrive in a boutique near you. Amanda Waters from Fashion Show Images says the future really is Brit !…..
Front Row Seats: Joan Collins, Boris Johnson at The Caroline Charles Show (left). A flowing Grecian Gown from Amanda Wakeley (centre) and Osman’s all-white collection (right).
The collections on the whole were feminine and flirty. Ruching, ruffles and floral prints were prominent throughout the week. Draping was also popular as seen in Burberry, in pale blue, pink and yellow skirts and dresses, and even on their mini-trench coats.
Wavy sophistication at Jaeger (left), Jimmy Choo (centre) and Naomi Campbell modelling ‘Daytime in the tropics’ at Issa (right)
Over at Betty Jackson, floaty chiffon skirts and dresses in pale florals including mint and pink gently contrasted together, with knee length stockings, providing a nostalgic feel.
Petals on hats, skirts and dresses lay delicately on John Rocha’s collection of peach, pink and nude coloured tunic dresses and tops, and his white oversized trousers suits were cut with precision, and could be worn by women of varying sizes to look chic and elegant. Erdem showed opulent florals and frills, Matthew Williamson showed florals in satins and chiffons, and many of his pieces had embellishments of sequins and triangular mirrors to give a futuristic effect.
Sheer glamour at Jasper Conran (left), a ‘normal’ model in a Mark Fast cobweb knit dress (center) and ‘Fairytale Surrealism’ at Kinder Aggugini (right).
Luella’s ‘cutesy’ collections of polka dots, large and small, frills, floral prints and puffball skirts, some with sweetheart necklines, but all with bows in the hair, was nothing if not feminine.
Nicole Fahri created a colour-blocking masterpiece inspired by the German Expressionist watercolour artist Emil Nolde. The result was a feminine collection with sporty references. “To be worn by a confident woman with a sense of fun” she said in her show notes.
A regular front row fixture: Michelle Williams (left), John Rocha’s delicate chiffon petal dress (center) and ‘Flintstone’ Daisy Lowe at Jeremy Scott.
Other designers showed ‘feminine’ in a different way, and did so through their choice of colour palette, and/or fabrics. Some garments had sheer panelling and splits at the front or sides, others had floaty skirts, (and sometimes both).
Osman, on the other hand, chose to show an all-white collection in every fabric imaginable, with just a dash of gold embellishment to each garment. The cut to each piece was razorsharp, (which was just as well, when one is showing to the world’s press on a bright, all-white catwalk). The collection was sleek, feminine and sophisticated.
Words – Amanda Waters