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Emilio de la Morena
It was a concise, focused collection from Emilio de la Morena this season, making the most of one silhouette, a handful of repeated items and a precise palette. This offering was far from repetitive however, as each piece was different in the minutiae; an accomplished exercise in refinement, providing a clear and believable message for his customers.
The look: A subverted prim sexiness
Silhouette: Chopped and blocked lean columns, demure knee-lengths
Key items: De la Morena was inspired by Victorian dress which came to light as high-collared sheer blouses, some with micro-frilled bib details; these were then paired with super-slim high-waisted pencil skirts, either smooth and straight or featuring layered panels. Sheath dresses were the other focus, following a similar construction as the skirt-and-blouse combinations – strictly tailored and body-conscious, featuring high turtle necks and either completely sleeveless or with long skinny sleeves; glittery wools were worked into cropped jackets with quilted sleeves and that same turtle neck, while lacy pointelle knits acted as second skins for long-sleeved tops and dresses
Colour: Bright red and orange tempered with graphic black; together with dark plum, white and palest shell pink
Fabric & knit: Organza was the principal fabric, working as structured sheer, or frayed and tufted for short soft-edge frills; there were also glittery lurex wools, which have proved a key trend from London, black pointelle knits and shiny silks
Print & pattern: The compacted sine-curve zigzag depicted in embellishment followed through into a red-on-black print
Details & trims: Thin leather piping worked in a Mondrian-style grid and bordered by tiny seed beads, contour seaming and strictly engineered shaping; sheer organza embroidered with the sine curve zigzag in ribbon, frayed and tufted organza creating micro frills, honeycomb-quilted jacket sleeves, organza underlayers and panels, faux layers and layered coloured sheers, modesty panels on sheer blouses, sheer peek-a-boo panels, pleated silk bustle-like folds at the back of skirts, loose trailing cords
Footwear: A platform suede ankle boot and similar sandal bandaged in shiny ribbon knotted at the toe designed by Charlotte Olympia
Ashish
It's never a case of reinventing the wheel at Ashish. You know to expect sequins; you know to expect some mini party dresses and some streetwear shapes.What you never know is his theme for the season - and that's what keeps things fun. And for winter, the character is a "poor little rich girl" who mixes her sartorial pieces with gritty punk elements.
The look: Disillusioned youth
Silhouette: Loose-fit casual
Key items: The tartan suit was the key vehicle for signature sequins this season. Chanel-esque boxy jackets were completed with frayed edges and teamed with either wide-fit boxer shorts, loose track pants or micro miniskirts. There was a good-girl-gone-bad attitude to the mix of pearl-buttoned shrunken cardigans, preppy striped shirts and a pinstripe boyfriend suit (in sequins) thrown together with Union Jack tees, tartan kilts, shredded skinny jeans worn with a graffiti biker jacket, and the moth-eaten sloppy sweaters that were sometimes decorated with safety pins. Ashish's signature sequinned party dresses were also much in evidence, littered throughout the collection and featuring draped cowls at the back, single sleeves and slashed shoulder details
Colour: Hyper brights in clashing combinations offset with rust, brown, pine and mustard
Fabric & knit: Signature sequins and paillettes, a cobweb mesh knit, knitted bumblebee and jailhouse stripes, dense knits, moth-eaten knit effects, distressed light-wash denim
Print & pattern: Tartan, Union Jack, skeletons, graffiti, black-and-white micro zigzags all depicted in sequins Details & trims: Ironic slogan appliqués in varsity-style lettering, safety pins, gobstopper pearl buttons, moth-eaten holes, shredded denim, wool fringed trims, missing buttons
Footwear: Dogtooth or graffitied brothel creepers and hi-tops from Ashish x Underground
Accessories: Nude hosiery with spiderweb knee patches
Fashion East – James Long
A familiar name on London’s menswear circuit, James Long made his womenswear debut this season as part of the Fashion East collective.“I think it's a tough, but romantic aesthetic. This girl really exists; it's not a fantasy collection," said James Long.
The look: Gypsy grunge
Silhouette: Long and floaty
Key items: Chunky hand-knit minidresses with ravaged and shredded chiffon fringe skirts, a fluffy patchworked knit sweater dress, a long fringed Aran knit poncho, high-waisted flat-front leather pants worn with a cropped open-stitch sweater, a shaded waffle knit boyfriend sweater paired with leather treggings and a long-line cardigan; several maxidress options, including a chiffon shirtdress with macramé fringe, space-dyed or macramé knit columns and a striped sheer knit tube dress topped with a black shearling jacket
Colour: Ivory, lipstick red and black
Fabric & knit: Alpaca knits, Aran knits, chunky hand knits, a shaded waffle knit, macramé, bouclé, chiffon Details & trims: Shredded chiffon fringe, macramé details, multicoloured beaded bands
Footwear: Lace-up booties, some with a kiltie fringe, designed by Nicholas Kirkwood
Accessories: Macramé belt
Fashion East - Elliot Atkinson
Visualising his collection as a chronological interpretation of America through the ages, Elliot Atkinson touched upon Native America influences, the Scottish, English and Irish colonisations and the Great Depression – plundering those periods for detail and trim and then applying them to his signature sexy looks.“The collection takes its direction from Americana through the ages, from original Native American influences to Western Americana,” explained designer Atkinson.
The look: Sexy Americana
Silhouette: Super short shorts and body-conscious
Key items: Single-button blazers with zip-off shearling sleeves offered either cropped or long line, spray-on jeans worn with a metal-tipped collared Western shirt, a Mongolian lamb-trimmed biker jacket, a neat Aran-knit sweater teamed with a tartan miniskirt, a shearling chubby paired with zip-fly ski pants and the same Western-style shirt; body-con minidresses in a variety of formats – long-sleeved, sleeveless with feathered bib detail or as a halter pinafore worn over a puritanical high-collared white shirt
Colour: Black, white, cream and pale lavender
Fabric & knit: Shearling, leather, Mongolian lamb, woven tartan, hand-crafted Aran knits, a woven and embossed snakeskin textile, crepe de chine, cotton shirting
Details & trims: Metal-tipped shirt collars, zips, feathersFootwear: Black or nude court shoes from asosAccessories: String bolo ties
Fashion East – Simone Rocha
With dad John watching from the front row, Simone Rocha presented her second collection under the Fashion East umbrella. Her latest collection continues to explore the theme of contrast, be it masculine and feminine, hard and soft, or sheer and opaque with a new level of texture.
The look: Tough-girl chic with subversive softness
Silhouette: Tailored with soft texture
Key items: Mannish, subtly oversized tailored coats and jackets featured spliced sleeves – either fur, pony or sheer - and cutaway back panels and waistline bands. Looks were layered with shirts in white poplin or nude tulle, sometimes featuring a gingham collar, and cable-knit dresses and miniskirts were encased in soft tulle overlayers
Colour: Putty white and tea-stained nudes, black and a pop of geranium pink
Fabric & knit: Chunky cable knits overlaid with tulle, tousled faux furs, glossy ponyskins, teddy-bear textured shearling, signature tulle, poplin and leather
Print & pattern: Flashes of oversized gingham check
Details & trims: Gingham shirt collars, sheer panels, fur panels, fur sleeves, elbow slits
Footwear: Brogues with perspex wedge heels and slingback mannish lace-ups
Accessories: Ponyskin bags
Aquascutum
English Icons, the eagerly anticipated inaugural collection of Aquascutum's new design director Joanna Sykes, focused on a redefinition of the essential pieces in the British winter wardrobe. The emphasis on modern tailoring and sophisticated but still sensible outwear brought a new sense of modernity to this classic house.
The look: Modern British
Silhouette: Tailored layers and exaggerated proportions
Key items: Miniature quilted gilets with fur collars, tailored trousers with faux skirt panels, a vivid orange long-sleeved dress with nude sheer waist panels, 3D panelled skirts, a floor-length steel grey trench with oversized patch pockets and, for evening, an elegant silk jumpsuit with a deep V-neckline
Colour: Slate grey, midnight and electric blues, blush, apricot, tan and orange
Fabric & knit: English tweed and melton, wool and mohair suiting, wool neoprene, bonded leather, suede, patent shearling, heavy knits and silk
Print & pattern: Block modernist prints
Details & trims: Fur collars, chunky chains on convertible clutches, exposed boot zips and oversized patch pockets
Footwear: Pointed boots with thick ankle straps in both low and high heels and two-tone knee boots in suede and leather in black and tan or grey and silver
Accessories: As well as knitted gloves with pompom details, Aquascutum showed bags for the first time on the runway: sleek black shoulder bags with thick chains carried as clutches and structured and pared-down larger pieces in suede and leather with lizard accents in orange, camel and blue
Marios Schwab
There is a certain signature look pioneered by many young designers on the London runways. Marios Schwab is one of its champions, with his hard-edged short sassy silhouettes, emanating an undercurrent of subversive sex appeal.
The look: Vixen goddess
Silhouette: Short and sharp
Key items: Unlike the rest of London this week, Schwab devoted most of his collection to dresses, which came as short sharply worked leather sheaths, or as slick above-the-knee silhouettes, sporting halter-neck lines or harnesses and high-set belts, while gentle chiffon drapes softened the mostly hard-edged looks. But it wasn't all sexy sleeveless shifts, Schwab also addressed the current trend for all things quilted and brushed with his exaggerated puffa silhouettes and a lean leather-sleeved brushed mohair coat. For evening, simple draped columnar gowns brought the collection's goddess alter-ego into play
Colours: Vixen-like oxblood, vermillion and grenadine offset with gothic black, sapphire blue, oyster, moss, absinthe
Fabric & knit: Leather, mohair, jersey, satin, chiffon
Details & trims: Straps and harnesses, high-set belts, pearls applied as decorative half-hidden details, cutouts, brogueing details
Footwear: Laced front toe-less ankle boots
Mary Katrantzou
Sometimes when watching a Mary Katrantzou collection you long for the simplicity of a plain coloured shirt, trousers or skirt to best offset her beautifully complex prints. But Katrantzou IS a print designer through and through, and her challenge is to create a collection of wearable wardrobe pieces rather than a collection of prints.
The look: Exotic orientalia
Silhouette: Hourglass lampshade silhouettes, contrasted with lean tunic-and-pant combos
Key items: The hourglass skirt and dress provided a smooth convex for Katrantzou's pictorial prints, teamed with structured bustier tops and intricate jacquard knits. There was a change of pace with her tailored print pantsuit and lean tunic tops paired with narrow stove pants. For evening, a billowing full skirt and bustier dress brought in a softer more wearable look
Colours: A kaleidoscopic palette of blues, old golds and oranges, aquatic turquoise and purple with the contrast of black and white
Fabric & knit: Printed velvet looked new, satin, blistered kimono-like silks, fine0gauge lurex jacquard knits
Print & pattern: Oriental imagery from precious porcelain-inspired patterns to golden carp, dragons and birds of paradise, via scrolling florals and Chinoiserie borders
Details & trims: Exposed zips, embroidery, gemstone jewels
Footwear: High-cut vampy ankle boots in bright patents
Roksanda Ilincic
Roksanda Ilincic is always looking for ways to make her beautiful eveningwear signatures more viable for daytime. While there were several options for girls with Oscars to win, there were also some casual fusions, which gave her languid silks a contemporary touch, such as the cashmere sweatshirt paired with silk palazzo pants, accessorised with a lipstick-red fox-fur stole.
The look: Modern opulence
Silhouette: Languidly fluid
Key items: The opening exit illustrated Ilincic’s fusion of hard and soft, daytime and party - a stiff longline sleeveless felt wool jacket (feather-trimmed ) paired with fluid silk palazzo pants. A similar effect was achieved with the combination of a wide-structured wool T-shirt combined with a trailing silk maxiskirt languidly cut at the bias. Her short day dresses also offered contrast - some softly draped and gathered, others body-consciously tailored and decorated with metal paillettes. Dresses were largely waisted, sometimes tops and skirts bound together by a contrast-coloured fabric belt or narrow feathered strips. For evening, lustrous one-shouldered silk gowns were artfully pulled and draped to create rippled surfaces, while a columnar orange gazar maxi was gathered at the neck for a contemporary halterneck
Colour: The central palette of orange, grenadine, burgundy and punchy electric blue was inspired by the work of Russian artist Natalia Goncharova; these saturated brights were tempered with pale ash grey and black
Fabric & knit: Watery fluid silks contrasted with the structure of felted wool and cashmere or tufted tweeds; undulating silk gazar, cashmere, wool georgette, dyed fox
Details & trims: Bugle-beaded fringing, brightly coloured feather trims, gun-metal paillettes, pulled gathers and drapes, contrast-coloured sashes and panels, spliced sleeves in tonal colour but contrast fabric, pleated peaked shoulders on long-sleeved dresses, ribboned waists
Footwear: Satin courts and ankle-strapped sandals by Nicholas Kirkwood
Accessories: Wide fedoras by Noel Stewart, dyed red fox stoles
Amanda Wakeley
Amanda Wakeley made a significant departure from her signature Grecian drapery this winter, with a collection she titled Luxe Sportif. Tapping into the season’s emerging trend for strictly tailored silhouettes, this was sophisticated body-con dressing.
The look: Luxe sportif
Silhouette: Sophisticated second skins
Key items: Body-conscious tailoring gave rise to second-skin short-sleeved minidresses and peplum-flared tops teamed with tight pencil skirts, as well as influencing lean-silhouetted coats, either skin-tight and zip-through or wrapped and midi-length columnar, the latter featuring tall face-framing collars. Long-haired fur jackets and flared skater skirts softened the strict silhouette, as did the few draped pieces, including a cowl-necked jersey day dress, and the asymmetrical metallic skirt paired with a soft silk blouse. There were just two pant shapes in the collection - one cigarette slim, the other a pleat-front peg, both cropped
Colour: Camel, orange, pebble grey, milk white, black, burnished gold
Fabric & knit: Leather with felted wool, patent tweed with scuba jersey, raw-cut flannel, feather-light stretch furs including fox and rabbit, silk cady, superfine tulle sheers, double-faced wool, silk chiffon
Details & trims: Engineered darts and folds, constructed seaming, corseted contours, face-framing collars, cutaway shoulders, sculptural hip fins, double spaghetti straps, gold metalwork embellishments, twinkling jet beading on superfine tulle
Footwear: High-heeled mules with two riveted straps, designed by Camilla Skovgaard
Accessories: Gold chokers and triple cuffs designed exclusively for Ernest Jones, multi-wrap leather waist belts
It was a concise, focused collection from Emilio de la Morena this season, making the most of one silhouette, a handful of repeated items and a precise palette. This offering was far from repetitive however, as each piece was different in the minutiae; an accomplished exercise in refinement, providing a clear and believable message for his customers.
The look: A subverted prim sexiness
Silhouette: Chopped and blocked lean columns, demure knee-lengths
Key items: De la Morena was inspired by Victorian dress which came to light as high-collared sheer blouses, some with micro-frilled bib details; these were then paired with super-slim high-waisted pencil skirts, either smooth and straight or featuring layered panels. Sheath dresses were the other focus, following a similar construction as the skirt-and-blouse combinations – strictly tailored and body-conscious, featuring high turtle necks and either completely sleeveless or with long skinny sleeves; glittery wools were worked into cropped jackets with quilted sleeves and that same turtle neck, while lacy pointelle knits acted as second skins for long-sleeved tops and dresses
Colour: Bright red and orange tempered with graphic black; together with dark plum, white and palest shell pink
Fabric & knit: Organza was the principal fabric, working as structured sheer, or frayed and tufted for short soft-edge frills; there were also glittery lurex wools, which have proved a key trend from London, black pointelle knits and shiny silks
Print & pattern: The compacted sine-curve zigzag depicted in embellishment followed through into a red-on-black print
Details & trims: Thin leather piping worked in a Mondrian-style grid and bordered by tiny seed beads, contour seaming and strictly engineered shaping; sheer organza embroidered with the sine curve zigzag in ribbon, frayed and tufted organza creating micro frills, honeycomb-quilted jacket sleeves, organza underlayers and panels, faux layers and layered coloured sheers, modesty panels on sheer blouses, sheer peek-a-boo panels, pleated silk bustle-like folds at the back of skirts, loose trailing cords
Footwear: A platform suede ankle boot and similar sandal bandaged in shiny ribbon knotted at the toe designed by Charlotte Olympia
Ashish
It's never a case of reinventing the wheel at Ashish. You know to expect sequins; you know to expect some mini party dresses and some streetwear shapes.What you never know is his theme for the season - and that's what keeps things fun. And for winter, the character is a "poor little rich girl" who mixes her sartorial pieces with gritty punk elements.
The look: Disillusioned youth
Silhouette: Loose-fit casual
Key items: The tartan suit was the key vehicle for signature sequins this season. Chanel-esque boxy jackets were completed with frayed edges and teamed with either wide-fit boxer shorts, loose track pants or micro miniskirts. There was a good-girl-gone-bad attitude to the mix of pearl-buttoned shrunken cardigans, preppy striped shirts and a pinstripe boyfriend suit (in sequins) thrown together with Union Jack tees, tartan kilts, shredded skinny jeans worn with a graffiti biker jacket, and the moth-eaten sloppy sweaters that were sometimes decorated with safety pins. Ashish's signature sequinned party dresses were also much in evidence, littered throughout the collection and featuring draped cowls at the back, single sleeves and slashed shoulder details
Colour: Hyper brights in clashing combinations offset with rust, brown, pine and mustard
Fabric & knit: Signature sequins and paillettes, a cobweb mesh knit, knitted bumblebee and jailhouse stripes, dense knits, moth-eaten knit effects, distressed light-wash denim
Print & pattern: Tartan, Union Jack, skeletons, graffiti, black-and-white micro zigzags all depicted in sequins Details & trims: Ironic slogan appliqués in varsity-style lettering, safety pins, gobstopper pearl buttons, moth-eaten holes, shredded denim, wool fringed trims, missing buttons
Footwear: Dogtooth or graffitied brothel creepers and hi-tops from Ashish x Underground
Accessories: Nude hosiery with spiderweb knee patches
Fashion East – James Long
A familiar name on London’s menswear circuit, James Long made his womenswear debut this season as part of the Fashion East collective.“I think it's a tough, but romantic aesthetic. This girl really exists; it's not a fantasy collection," said James Long.
The look: Gypsy grunge
Silhouette: Long and floaty
Key items: Chunky hand-knit minidresses with ravaged and shredded chiffon fringe skirts, a fluffy patchworked knit sweater dress, a long fringed Aran knit poncho, high-waisted flat-front leather pants worn with a cropped open-stitch sweater, a shaded waffle knit boyfriend sweater paired with leather treggings and a long-line cardigan; several maxidress options, including a chiffon shirtdress with macramé fringe, space-dyed or macramé knit columns and a striped sheer knit tube dress topped with a black shearling jacket
Colour: Ivory, lipstick red and black
Fabric & knit: Alpaca knits, Aran knits, chunky hand knits, a shaded waffle knit, macramé, bouclé, chiffon Details & trims: Shredded chiffon fringe, macramé details, multicoloured beaded bands
Footwear: Lace-up booties, some with a kiltie fringe, designed by Nicholas Kirkwood
Accessories: Macramé belt
Fashion East - Elliot Atkinson
Visualising his collection as a chronological interpretation of America through the ages, Elliot Atkinson touched upon Native America influences, the Scottish, English and Irish colonisations and the Great Depression – plundering those periods for detail and trim and then applying them to his signature sexy looks.“The collection takes its direction from Americana through the ages, from original Native American influences to Western Americana,” explained designer Atkinson.
The look: Sexy Americana
Silhouette: Super short shorts and body-conscious
Key items: Single-button blazers with zip-off shearling sleeves offered either cropped or long line, spray-on jeans worn with a metal-tipped collared Western shirt, a Mongolian lamb-trimmed biker jacket, a neat Aran-knit sweater teamed with a tartan miniskirt, a shearling chubby paired with zip-fly ski pants and the same Western-style shirt; body-con minidresses in a variety of formats – long-sleeved, sleeveless with feathered bib detail or as a halter pinafore worn over a puritanical high-collared white shirt
Colour: Black, white, cream and pale lavender
Fabric & knit: Shearling, leather, Mongolian lamb, woven tartan, hand-crafted Aran knits, a woven and embossed snakeskin textile, crepe de chine, cotton shirting
Details & trims: Metal-tipped shirt collars, zips, feathersFootwear: Black or nude court shoes from asosAccessories: String bolo ties
Fashion East – Simone Rocha
With dad John watching from the front row, Simone Rocha presented her second collection under the Fashion East umbrella. Her latest collection continues to explore the theme of contrast, be it masculine and feminine, hard and soft, or sheer and opaque with a new level of texture.
The look: Tough-girl chic with subversive softness
Silhouette: Tailored with soft texture
Key items: Mannish, subtly oversized tailored coats and jackets featured spliced sleeves – either fur, pony or sheer - and cutaway back panels and waistline bands. Looks were layered with shirts in white poplin or nude tulle, sometimes featuring a gingham collar, and cable-knit dresses and miniskirts were encased in soft tulle overlayers
Colour: Putty white and tea-stained nudes, black and a pop of geranium pink
Fabric & knit: Chunky cable knits overlaid with tulle, tousled faux furs, glossy ponyskins, teddy-bear textured shearling, signature tulle, poplin and leather
Print & pattern: Flashes of oversized gingham check
Details & trims: Gingham shirt collars, sheer panels, fur panels, fur sleeves, elbow slits
Footwear: Brogues with perspex wedge heels and slingback mannish lace-ups
Accessories: Ponyskin bags
Aquascutum
English Icons, the eagerly anticipated inaugural collection of Aquascutum's new design director Joanna Sykes, focused on a redefinition of the essential pieces in the British winter wardrobe. The emphasis on modern tailoring and sophisticated but still sensible outwear brought a new sense of modernity to this classic house.
The look: Modern British
Silhouette: Tailored layers and exaggerated proportions
Key items: Miniature quilted gilets with fur collars, tailored trousers with faux skirt panels, a vivid orange long-sleeved dress with nude sheer waist panels, 3D panelled skirts, a floor-length steel grey trench with oversized patch pockets and, for evening, an elegant silk jumpsuit with a deep V-neckline
Colour: Slate grey, midnight and electric blues, blush, apricot, tan and orange
Fabric & knit: English tweed and melton, wool and mohair suiting, wool neoprene, bonded leather, suede, patent shearling, heavy knits and silk
Print & pattern: Block modernist prints
Details & trims: Fur collars, chunky chains on convertible clutches, exposed boot zips and oversized patch pockets
Footwear: Pointed boots with thick ankle straps in both low and high heels and two-tone knee boots in suede and leather in black and tan or grey and silver
Accessories: As well as knitted gloves with pompom details, Aquascutum showed bags for the first time on the runway: sleek black shoulder bags with thick chains carried as clutches and structured and pared-down larger pieces in suede and leather with lizard accents in orange, camel and blue
Marios Schwab
There is a certain signature look pioneered by many young designers on the London runways. Marios Schwab is one of its champions, with his hard-edged short sassy silhouettes, emanating an undercurrent of subversive sex appeal.
The look: Vixen goddess
Silhouette: Short and sharp
Key items: Unlike the rest of London this week, Schwab devoted most of his collection to dresses, which came as short sharply worked leather sheaths, or as slick above-the-knee silhouettes, sporting halter-neck lines or harnesses and high-set belts, while gentle chiffon drapes softened the mostly hard-edged looks. But it wasn't all sexy sleeveless shifts, Schwab also addressed the current trend for all things quilted and brushed with his exaggerated puffa silhouettes and a lean leather-sleeved brushed mohair coat. For evening, simple draped columnar gowns brought the collection's goddess alter-ego into play
Colours: Vixen-like oxblood, vermillion and grenadine offset with gothic black, sapphire blue, oyster, moss, absinthe
Fabric & knit: Leather, mohair, jersey, satin, chiffon
Details & trims: Straps and harnesses, high-set belts, pearls applied as decorative half-hidden details, cutouts, brogueing details
Footwear: Laced front toe-less ankle boots
Mary Katrantzou
Sometimes when watching a Mary Katrantzou collection you long for the simplicity of a plain coloured shirt, trousers or skirt to best offset her beautifully complex prints. But Katrantzou IS a print designer through and through, and her challenge is to create a collection of wearable wardrobe pieces rather than a collection of prints.
The look: Exotic orientalia
Silhouette: Hourglass lampshade silhouettes, contrasted with lean tunic-and-pant combos
Key items: The hourglass skirt and dress provided a smooth convex for Katrantzou's pictorial prints, teamed with structured bustier tops and intricate jacquard knits. There was a change of pace with her tailored print pantsuit and lean tunic tops paired with narrow stove pants. For evening, a billowing full skirt and bustier dress brought in a softer more wearable look
Colours: A kaleidoscopic palette of blues, old golds and oranges, aquatic turquoise and purple with the contrast of black and white
Fabric & knit: Printed velvet looked new, satin, blistered kimono-like silks, fine0gauge lurex jacquard knits
Print & pattern: Oriental imagery from precious porcelain-inspired patterns to golden carp, dragons and birds of paradise, via scrolling florals and Chinoiserie borders
Details & trims: Exposed zips, embroidery, gemstone jewels
Footwear: High-cut vampy ankle boots in bright patents
Roksanda Ilincic
Roksanda Ilincic is always looking for ways to make her beautiful eveningwear signatures more viable for daytime. While there were several options for girls with Oscars to win, there were also some casual fusions, which gave her languid silks a contemporary touch, such as the cashmere sweatshirt paired with silk palazzo pants, accessorised with a lipstick-red fox-fur stole.
The look: Modern opulence
Silhouette: Languidly fluid
Key items: The opening exit illustrated Ilincic’s fusion of hard and soft, daytime and party - a stiff longline sleeveless felt wool jacket (feather-trimmed ) paired with fluid silk palazzo pants. A similar effect was achieved with the combination of a wide-structured wool T-shirt combined with a trailing silk maxiskirt languidly cut at the bias. Her short day dresses also offered contrast - some softly draped and gathered, others body-consciously tailored and decorated with metal paillettes. Dresses were largely waisted, sometimes tops and skirts bound together by a contrast-coloured fabric belt or narrow feathered strips. For evening, lustrous one-shouldered silk gowns were artfully pulled and draped to create rippled surfaces, while a columnar orange gazar maxi was gathered at the neck for a contemporary halterneck
Colour: The central palette of orange, grenadine, burgundy and punchy electric blue was inspired by the work of Russian artist Natalia Goncharova; these saturated brights were tempered with pale ash grey and black
Fabric & knit: Watery fluid silks contrasted with the structure of felted wool and cashmere or tufted tweeds; undulating silk gazar, cashmere, wool georgette, dyed fox
Details & trims: Bugle-beaded fringing, brightly coloured feather trims, gun-metal paillettes, pulled gathers and drapes, contrast-coloured sashes and panels, spliced sleeves in tonal colour but contrast fabric, pleated peaked shoulders on long-sleeved dresses, ribboned waists
Footwear: Satin courts and ankle-strapped sandals by Nicholas Kirkwood
Accessories: Wide fedoras by Noel Stewart, dyed red fox stoles
Amanda Wakeley
Amanda Wakeley made a significant departure from her signature Grecian drapery this winter, with a collection she titled Luxe Sportif. Tapping into the season’s emerging trend for strictly tailored silhouettes, this was sophisticated body-con dressing.
The look: Luxe sportif
Silhouette: Sophisticated second skins
Key items: Body-conscious tailoring gave rise to second-skin short-sleeved minidresses and peplum-flared tops teamed with tight pencil skirts, as well as influencing lean-silhouetted coats, either skin-tight and zip-through or wrapped and midi-length columnar, the latter featuring tall face-framing collars. Long-haired fur jackets and flared skater skirts softened the strict silhouette, as did the few draped pieces, including a cowl-necked jersey day dress, and the asymmetrical metallic skirt paired with a soft silk blouse. There were just two pant shapes in the collection - one cigarette slim, the other a pleat-front peg, both cropped
Colour: Camel, orange, pebble grey, milk white, black, burnished gold
Fabric & knit: Leather with felted wool, patent tweed with scuba jersey, raw-cut flannel, feather-light stretch furs including fox and rabbit, silk cady, superfine tulle sheers, double-faced wool, silk chiffon
Details & trims: Engineered darts and folds, constructed seaming, corseted contours, face-framing collars, cutaway shoulders, sculptural hip fins, double spaghetti straps, gold metalwork embellishments, twinkling jet beading on superfine tulle
Footwear: High-heeled mules with two riveted straps, designed by Camilla Skovgaard
Accessories: Gold chokers and triple cuffs designed exclusively for Ernest Jones, multi-wrap leather waist belts
