Live From... London Fashion Week - Day 2

John Rocha 

            

A change of silhouette at John Rocha, as the designer introduced a seductive element into his customary feminine romance.
The look: Bohemian Edwardian romance 
Silhouette: A new silhouette from this designer, with elongated and languid shapes contrasted with short, sculpted modernity 
Key items: Boudoir-inspired corsetry brought a new form-fitting silhouette into play for corseted tops and structured dresses. Long, fluid, bias=cut skirts with fantail hems offered an elongated look, teamed with easy cardigan-style tweed jackets. Pants came lean and cropped or as soft, languid bloomer shorts, while outerwear took on a structured modernist slant with tulip shaping or soft carapace backs, while a long boudoir-pink ruched columnar gown had the front row’s phone cameras buzzing 
Colour: As ever from this designer, it was an understated palette of black and ivory with accents of boudoir-nude shades and soft rose pink 
Fabric & knit: Seductive crepe de chines and semi-sheer georgettes worked alongside the denser structures of neoprene, stretch cotton and dimensional tufted lace. Raw-edged tweeds looked new from this designer and were beautifully crafted into Edwardiana-styled suits 
Details & trims: Ruching, raw-edged hems on tweed 
Footwear: Ankle-tie wedged sandals, laced Edwardiana-style boots with a wedge heel 
Accessories: Carapace-shaped rucksacks brought a modern sportswear look into play when teamed with oversized petal-trimmed picture hats 

House of Holland

            

It was a new decade of choice for Henry Holland this season, as he channelled the ritz and glitz of 70s disco into his youthful and poppy looks. With some strong tailoring and a wider selection of pieces, this was perhaps his most successful collection to date.
The look: 70s disco down at South Beach 
Silhouette: Tailored with flare 
Key items: Safari-style shirtdresses and playsuit, accordion-pleat skater skirts and plissé dresses, cropped T-shirts and cape-backed tank tops, leather hotpants, tailored Capri pants, bell-sleeved cropped blouse, cropped leather biker jacket, slinky chainmail halterneck dresses and fringed minishifts. Denimwear including a jean jacket with accordion-pleat sleeves, shirt-and-short playsuit, skin-tight flared jeans, A-line shift dress, and a brass-buttoned tabard dress 
Colour: Signature brights - turquoise, violet, fuchsia and Kelly green, gold and coloured metallics, pale denim blue 
Fabric & knit: Metallic banana-leaf jacquard, laser-cut and pleated leather, light blue denim, chiffon, gold chainmail, printed silks, space-dyed knit yarns 
Print & pattern: Bi-colour banana-leaf prints on white ground 
Details & trims: Long silk fringing, leather star appliqués, accordion pleats and plissé, cowl drapes, handkerchief hems, heat-pressed crystals 
Footwear: Strappy lace-up suede heels with shrunken fore-part platforms 
Accessories: Doughnut-shaped pompom earrings with large paste jewel studs, fluffy towelling and tan leather belts and bags. Jewellery and bags by Katie Hillier for House of Holland, sunglasses from Linda Farrow 

Unique

            

A 70s psychedelic romp full of vivid colour, clouds of candy-cotton crimped hair and a rainbow of acid-trip prints made for a joyful summer showing at Unique. 
The look: Lucy in the sky with diamonds 
Silhouette: Pure 70s on acid 
Key items: Wide-legged flares, floaty all-in-ones, swingy A-line tunics and flowing dresses were all stamped with the 70s look, which is set to hit the high street next summer. Watch too for bandeau tops, long sheer skirts, printed blazers, fringed Western jackets and cape-sleeved tees 
Colour: The strong and fulsome palette spanned rich oranges through to a sunset of reds, pinky-purples and watermelon pinks, offset with hot amber and tan, ochre and ivory 
Fabric & knit: A mad-cap medley of macramé, washed silk, laser-cut eyelet suede, floaty georgettes and sheer tulle, metallic jersey, cracked jersey, satin, Lurex and rhinestones, overdyed denim and cobweb knits. The message was in the mix 
Print & pattern: Splatter and smoke patterns added an otherworldy, floaty feel; abstracted florals, foil prints and a sunburst motif 
Details & trims: Flowing panels, tattered and ravaged details, fringing, caped sleeves, angel-wing appliqués on white tailoring, piping 
Footwear: Perspex wedges, multiple-strapped sandals, woven sandals, tasselled boots and sandals 
Accessories: Macramé leather necklaces, long-fringed and tasselled shoulder bags 

Betty Jackson

            

A more utilitarian look from Betty Jackson, who combined her usual verve for print and pattern with some strong sportswear silhouettes.
The look: Easy sportswear
Silhouette: Relaxed and elongated layers
Key items: Long belted jackets over soft skirts, elastic cased shorts and cropped pants teamed with cape-sleeve ruffled blouses or simple tunic tops. Knitwear came as a fringed belted coat or easy sweater shapes, with a frisson of ostrich feathers adding texture to the look. The utility dress was a strong key item, contrasting with the softer appeal of a cape-sleeve floaty smock. Bra tops and swimwear pieces were a new addition to the collection
Colour: Apple green, watermelon pink, bright turquoise and espresso, offset with warm taupe
Fabric & knit: Treebark jacquards and high-shine waxy cottons offered a play on texture alongside softer georgettes and washed cottons. Speckled tweedy knits in robust cottons and fine-gauge knits
Print & pattern: Abstracted digital imagery in pinks and greens drawing on foliage and birds for inspiration, alongside simpler stencil florals
Details & trims: Cut-out shoulderlines, fringed trims on chunky tweed knits, simple blanket stitching, ruching, exposed zips and utility drawstrings
Footwear: High mesh sandal boots, 40s wedges in silver or cream
Accessories: Socks, rucksacks and jewellery by Alexis Bittar comprising lucite and ostrich-feather bangles and collars

Emilio de la Morena

            

For spring/summer 2011, Emilio de la Morena was inspired by the work of Argentine painter and sculptor Lucio Fontana, as well as the oppositions of day and night, and the way light travels through translucent fabrics.
The look: Graphic girls 
Silhouette: Short-lengths with either bell-shaped or A-line skirts 
Key items: De la Morena's signature body-con dresses were more shapely this season, with curvy hip emphasis created by soft, bell-shaped overlays of silk organza, crinoline panniers or frilled peplums at the waist. Other key pieces included collarless cropped and tailored boxy jackets, A-line skater skirts or short pleat-waisted dirndls, and high-waisted leather minis. Sheer long-sleeved blouses buttoned at the back, and graphic tailored shifts came with asymmetric panels 
Colour: The palette was inspired by the spectral colours of a prism – yellow, soft pink, light blue, mint, washed coral and mustard, set against black, white and pale vapour grey 
Fabric & knit: Leather, suede, silk, satin organza 
Print & pattern: A slash print on silk inspired by Fontana's series of sliced painted canvases 
Details & trims: Hand-punched holes on leather or sheer, slashes, ruffled peplums, spliced leather and handkerchief panels 
Footwear: A collaboration with Charlotte Olympia - gold-zipped, multi-strapped platform high heels in four colourways of mint, black, yellow and nude suede 
Accessories: A debut collaboration with jeweller Scott Wilson - statement neckpieces and cuffs made from polished geometric metal plates, some perforated to match details from the apparel collection


Twenty8Twelve

            

A highly commercial collection of easy summer separates and girl-friendly dresses from celebrity label Twenty8Twelve.
The look: The all-American 50s eclectic traveller
Silhouette: 50s with a modern twist
Key items: Denim shirtdresses, Western shirts, short full dirndls and frilled petticoats brought the 50s mood into play, teamed with rolled-sleeve tees, bib-front striped shirts and striped knits. The emerging trend for dungarees was addressed, along with an easy swingy A-line dress shape and a soft short all-in-one. And for after six, sexy little tank dresses or a short ruched body-con look
Colour: Denim blues offset with zingy brights such as lime and watermelon - a recurring theme here this week - with warm ochre, desert neutrals and graphic black and white
Fabric & knit: Denim was a strong fabric statement, contrasting nicely with vintage-style lace and embroidery, washed linen and lightweight cotton voiles, toughened up with shearling, suede and cotton knits
Print & pattern: A medley of offbeat print mixes, from abstract florals to a novelty face print on richly coloured grounds for a true vintage feel
Details & trims: Halter necklines, cutouts, pintucks, plaited trims, ruching and ruffles
Footwear: Sparkly bows rimmed denim flats and high courts by Gina
Accessories: Bow-tied belts added a feminine feel, along with stacked bangles from the Katie Hillier archive

Fashion Fringe - Corrie Nielsen

            

Corrie Nielsen's collection of deconstructed and exaggerated historical costume found favour with new honorary chairman John Galliano, who crowned the American designer winner of Fashion Fringe 2010. Her experience working for Vivienne Westwood was evident in her draped and swagged silhouettes.

The look: The collection was titled Georgian Satires, inspired by the comical illustrations of James Gillray and George Cruikshank

Silhouette: An exaggerated take on historical Georgian costume - nipped waists and padded volume at hips and shoulders

Key items: Bustier corsets, stiff draped shirts, tailored pencil skirts hitting below the knee and shaped with contrast panels at the hips, puff-collared tailleur, tapered dhoti pants, super-wide-cut knee-length shorts

Colour: Shell pink, mint, peach sorbet, slate grey and black

Fabric &  knit: Satin, flannel, cotton, woven stripes

Details & trims: Puffed shoulders/sleeve heads, bustles and hip panniers, ruffles, fold-down waists

Footwear: Ballet shoes

Charles Anastase

            

French designer Charles Anastase's signature is subversive sweetness and Lolita-like girlishness. For summer 2011, his not-so-innocent girls wore shirtdresses prudishly buttoned up to the neck with such towering platforms, they toppled a couple of the delicate Lolitas on to the catwalks crash mat.

The look: A day in the Tuileries

Silhouette: Neatly boxy midi-lengths, loose-fit dropped waists

Key items: Button-up shirt dresses with loose-fitting dropped waists and full or pleated skirts, minimal short-sleeved T-shirt dresses, Peter Pan-collared princess coats, ruffle-collared blouses, slim-cut Capri pants and tailored T-shirts, tailored pencil skirts, knitted tube dresses

Colour: White, periwinkle blue, mint, peach, lilac, dusted mauve, black and silver

Fabric & knit: Swiss voile, organza sheers, seersucker, washed silk, metallic jacquard

Print & pattern: A painterly cubist pattern built up of overlapping pastel-coloured squares

Details & trims: Jewelled buttons, gold zips, 3D floral appliqués, knitted sleeves, ruffled necklines, off-the-shoulder necklines

Footwear: Super platform wedges with X-strap by Natacha Marro

Accessories: Heavy-framed geek-chic opticals, straw sunhats by Prudence Millinery, squashy suede clutch bags, ribbon belts, cat-face brooches

Posted in: Betty Jackson,Charles Anastase,Corrie Nielsen,Emilio de la Morena,House of Holland,John Rocha,LFW,London Fashion Week,Twenty8Twelve,Unique,womenswear