Backstage beauty: A/W 11/12 London catwalks

The beauty team went backstage during London Fashion Week to talk to the hairstylists, make-up artists and manicurists who create the beauty looks for the shows. Here are our favourite looks from behind-the scenes.


Felder Felder

Backstage at Felder Felder MAC Key artist Georgina Graham produced a graphic look, inspired by cool punk girls with attitude such as Siouxsie Sioux, Blondie and Strawberry Switchblade. Eye and lips were played up to the max, while skin is fresh, natural and healthy. No powder is used on the face to give the finished look a “modern, contemporary feel”. Graham mixed black and blue MAC Lip Mix together to create a punchy pout and added Marine Ultra Pigment on the centre of the lips for extra impact. MAC Black Track Fluid Line was used on the eyes to create the tough and thick flick. For hair, session stylist Nick Irwin and the TIGI creative team pulled tresses into simple yet effortless hairdos, to compliment the tough make-up. Hair is split into two ponytails, with one at the top and one sitting low at the bottom, and are wrapped and pinned to the head. Key products used were TIGI Catwalk Root Boost and Session Series Hairspray. Finishing the look, nails were manicured by Jenny Longworth, who used Nailgirls lacquers. Longworth custom-blended three Nailgirls colours (Khaki, Matte Grey and Purple #8) to make the “grey taupe with purple undertone” colour – a follow on from last season’s greys and khaki tones. Nails are kept short with a square shape. Nailgirls Super Finish Top Coat was applied over the top for an “expensive glossy finish”.


Eun Jeong

Hairstylist (and co-founder of Lockonego) Jonathan Long created a “modern Victorian” low wispy textured bun. Inspired by Jeong’s 30-inspired vintage collection, the hairstyle merges “period glamour with a contemporary romantic edge”. Using UNITE hair products, hair was tonged, backcombed and pulled into a low ponytail before it was twisted and pinned into place at the nape of the neck. Key products used include: Boosta Spray, to enhance volume and Second Day, a matte paste to give hair a next-day finish. Lockonego hairstylist Fardi Fawaz added coloured scarves by pinning the material around the hairstyle. We love this creative look.


Louise Gray 

It was a dotty affair at Louise Gray where MAC key artist James O’Riley created a multi-coloured polka-dot face, inspired by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. Coloured spots were drawn onto a beautifully polished base on different areas of the face (neck, forehead and sides of the face) resulting in a fun make-up look. Lips are finished with a balm for a natural finish.



John Rocha

At John Rocha, make-up artist Sam Bryant described the make-up look as a “travellers chic on her way to Glastonbury”. It’s all about fresh, clean skin, natural blush, dark burgundy lips and feral eyebrows. Key products used include Becca Highlighter, dabbed on the cheekbones, nose and bow of the lips; MAC Face & Body in a light shade, brushed over the skin and MAC Lip Liner in Vino painted all over the lips. Cream blush is applied onto the cheeks in an upside-down triangle shape.Meanwhile. over at hair, hairstylist Sam Hillerby plaited hair into multiple braids in an assortment of shapes and sizes. Hillerby wanted to create a “grungy yet poetic” style to compliment Rochas’s romantic clothes.


Theresa Yee
Assistant Editor, Beauty

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Live From... London Fashion Week, Day 1

Corrie Nielsen 

 

Corrie Nielsen showed she was the worthy winner of the 2010 Fashion Fringe award with her debut stand-alone collection on the LFW runway, where she applied dramatic silhouettes with a sense of romance. 

The look: Historical romance
Silhouette: Elizabethan-inspired and sculpted
Key items: Mannish pleat pants and crisp ruffed shirts came swathed with dramatic sashes, their masculine appeal tempering the more dramatic silhouettes of Nielsen’s Infanta-style dresses with the farthingale skirts and strict bodices. Tailoring too had that same rigorous silhouette, with high leg-of-mutton sleeves dominating strictly waisted jacket shapes. There was a subtle sense of modernity in her short ruffled bustier dresses, contrasted with the historical feel of crisp peg-top pants topped with a billowing taffeta cape
Colour: A rich palette of intense jewel tones with sapphire and garnet red shimmering against lamp black and smoke grey
Fabric & knit: Crisp metallic-shot taffetas, delicate chiffon, gazar, wet-look cloqué 
Details & trims: Ruffled collars, draped sashes
Footwear: High close-fitting minimalist boots, high strappy platforms




Sass & Bide 

It is forever summer in Sass & Bide land, and on a grey London winter’s day their dazzling mix of sun-baked colour and primitive patterns brought a brief ray of sunshine into the first day of London Fashion Week.

The look: Modern-day fashion tribes
Silhouette: Wrapped and draped
Key items: There was less emphasis on the design duo’s signature body-con looks this season, as they topped slim pencil skirts and simple sheath dresses or long split-side maxis with overscaled wraps, tethered at the waist with neon-bright belts. Everything had an asymmetric dynamic, from the dipping jacket hems of a simple patterned pant suit to the handkerchief hem of a sinuous belted suede coat. Cardigan jackets came faced with glittering sequins, a fabric trend taken through to wet-look skinny jeans and colour-blocked blazers. Suede fringing, a plethora of mismatched prints and lightweight layers added to the tribal feel
Colour: A sun-baked palette of pinks and terracottas, earthy browns, almost neon-shaded melon and fuchsia, with splashes of sunny marigold and saffron
Fabric & knit: The lightest, most sinuous suede layered with crepe de chines, silk taffetas, wet-look sequins and fine cottons
Print & pattern: This was a mélange of collaged pattern, from the tribal geometrics and blanket checks to silk ikat weaves, plissé and hand-painted effects
Details & trims: Rouleau cords used as looped trims, scalloped layers, suede fringing, deep V-backs, corded macramé cuffs and edging, beaded edges
Footwear: High vampy suede ankle boots in eye-searing brights
Accessories: Vivid suede high-crowned sculpted hats, soft pouchy clutch bags, neon belts, tribal razor-teeth necklaces, tribal beaded collars
 


Bora Aksu 

Inspired by Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Bora Aksu’s autumn/winter collection Angel & Fiend played against opposites: heavy and light, masculine and feminine, modern and traditional. “Dark motives against an air of respectability were interesting me, and how to incorporate both those characteristics into one look,” said Bora Aksu. 

The look: Modern update on Victoriana tailoring
Silhouette: Slim uppers falling into tulip- and bell-shaped sculptural skirts
Key Items: This season’s emphasis was more on tailored separates and clever pieces, like an adaptable three-quarter-length coat that unfastens into a cropped jacket. A pleated grey wool cape with contrast-print inner was another strong outerwear look, teamed with faux laddered leggings, and hitched and pleated tweed skirts. For evening, there were subtly sexy cable-knit maxidresses with mesh sleeves and bead detailing
Colour: Smoky greys, black, white and accents of silver, all contrasted with a bold emerald green
Fabric & knit: Traditional suit materials of wool and tweed, contrasted with mesh, plasticised cotton and leather
Print & pattern: Black and white tweed
Details & trims: Leather piping, lace collars on cotton shirts, tube beads on knitted maxidresses and cord-bound panelled bodices
Footwear: Block-heeled toeless laced ankle boots in black and beige
Accessories: Small bows: worn as traditional bow ties, attached to thin leather belts and worn on skirts at the tailbone




Felder Felder 

After an uncharacteristically bright spring/summer season, German twins Daniela and Annette went back to their traditional dark palette, though this was lifted and enhanced with strong Yves Klein blue, petrol and emerald green. “This collection was inspired by strong elements in nature - thunderstorms, owls and ice flowers,” said Annette Felder. 

The look: Futurism via the natural elements
Silhouette: Body-con slim with flirty skater skirts and exaggerated shoulders
Key Items: There was a 1990s flavour to some of the pieces, including cross-back-strap bra tops with gold studding, and half and half trousers in silver leather and white denim. Simple shapes, such as cropped leather jackets and a sleeveless shift, were updated with goat’s hair trim. Strapless bodysuits with mesh trains and sheepskin puffball skirts in black and white stood out
Colour: ice white, black, Yves Klein blue, emerald green, petrol
Fabric & knit: Sheepskin, leather, satin, chiffon, denim
Print & pattern: Marbled satins and kaleidoscopic prints on chiffon in muted shades
Details & trims: The mechanics of the clothing were highly visible: oversized buckles and toggles on cropped jackets teamed with large unhidden zips. Starburst-shaped gem and sequined embellishment, circular cutouts on leather skirts and jersey tops, and goat’s hair edging on accessories and shoulders - all tying in with the sisters’ natural elements theme
Footwear: Chunky-heeled ankle boots in black, grey and nude, with buckles, sheepskin or small tassels
Accessories: Long goat-hair-trimmed wrist cuffs with gold round studs and matching chokers

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Live From... London Fashion Week, Day 6 - Menswear

Topman Design

Expertly reacting to current menswear trends rather than trying to push boundaries too much, the Topman Design team balances exciting shapes with a strong commercial appeal. This is especially true with some of the more challenging vintage influences running through the collection, and the continued focus on sharp and innovative tailoring for the high street.
“A lot of the pieces are of vintage origin because it's important for the design team that our clothes feel real; we're not about being wild. We want our boy to sing. You have to update authentic pieces with a new focus on fabrics, prints and silhouette,” Gordon Richardson told WGSN.
The look: High-performance mods
Silhouette: Slender single- and double-breasted for tailoring, but exploring high waists and pleated volume for shorts and trousers, offset with slim-fitting tops
Key items: Slim tailoring updated with crumpled finishes, floral collarless shirts, bright jacquard knits, and paper-bag waist boxing-inspired shorts
Colour: Functional outdoors-inspired neutrals with primary bright accents, rich berry shades of red and purple, and retro combinations of brown, mustard and orange
Fabric & knit: Jacquard knits, silk shirting, vintage-style canvas, technical lightweight nylons for outerwear, and French terryPrint & pattern: Vintage silk tie and scarf-inspired prints, Nordic patterns and fox motifs on knitwear, small-scale Liberty florals and larger painterly florals for shirting
Details & trims: Utility hardware
Footwear: Black leather monkey boots and canvas hi-tops
Accessories: Canvas military holdalls covered in pins and badges, leather belts, and Lennon glasses


Christopher Shannon

His use of contrasting textures, colour- and fabric-blocking, and airy takes on sheer layering keep Shannon's familiar sportswear aesthetic feeling fresh. The reworked inner-city-youth looks and jarring palette of pastels inject some familiar references, twisted for the catwalk with a playful eye. “Last season was all about navy and grey, which are my favourite colours, so I wanted to push myself a bit. Colour sells really well for us, and with it being summer, it's what people expect. I used the tufting effect this time to add new texture that offsets the slick sportswear finishes,” Christopher Shannon told WGSN.
The look: Youth-club trip to Nairobi
Silhouette: Simple and relaxed sportswear fits
Key items: Contrast texture and cutaway panel T-shirts, colour-blocked shirts and matching shorts, camo shirts, and lightweight cagoules  
Colour: Optic white and khaki, offset with powder pink, lemon and blue
Fabric & knit: String-vest mesh-knit fabric patchworked with cotton piqué, tufting and Aertex-like sheers, lightweight waterproof synthetics, and panelled cotton shirting
Print & pattern: A new house camouflage using blocks of text on traditional light grey and blue grounds to update the classic urban military design
Details & trims: Traditional five-pocket Levi's styling for trousers and shorts, functional sportswear hardware, and ethnic-inspired taping and appliqués
Footwear: All-white Timberland 6in boots and deck shoes
Accessories: Tourist passport holders, Eastpak collaboration rucksacks, and sun hats


JW Anderson

Anderson built on the success of his autumn/winter collection by pushing the fabric and pattern mixing further into the realms of eclecticism, while deftly managing to keep the collection feeling sharp and contemporary - even when he combines acid washes and florals with lace doilies and Swarovski appliqués.
“The road-trip inspiration for this season was a strong influence on the patchworked mixture of prints. This collection actually feels very real though, even though I'm using colours I've never even seen before. I always need a random element in there somewhere, else I get bored,” Jonathan Anderson told WGSN.
The look: Acid road tripSilhouette: Slim-fitting with cropped-length trousers and boxy tailoring
Key items: Acid-washed hoodies, unstructured blazers with unfinished seams, small-scale floral shirts, doily appliqué and sheer-knit T-shirts, bondage tops, and ethnic-print trousers
Colour: From simple khaki and mushroom neutral shades, through deep aquatic blues and greens, to hot reds and oranges
Fabric & knit: Tulle, sheer knits, cotton shirting, hand knits, luxe jersey, and silk
Print & pattern: Psychedelic acid washes and dipped treatments, Liberty florals, and larger-scale ethnic-inspired patterns
Details & trims: Bondage-style zips, straps and fastenings, hand-crocheted lace doilies, appliqué floral patches and lettering, Swarovski crystals, and rough unfinished seams
Footwear: Swarovski crystal-encrusted black and chestnut-brown work boots
Accessories: Floral Neckerchiefs, studded collars, tortoiseshell shades


James Long

Playing to his strengths of knitwear, leathers and print, James Long managed to create some of his most striking pieces yet, while producing what is also arguably his most commercial collection to date. The secret is his careful balance of wearable shapes, bold pattern, hand finishing and luxury materials.
“I wanted gradual colour changes in the machined rainbow knits, rather than stripes, so we played with reducing the number of strands. The patchwork knits use a combination of different techniques brought together by thinking about 3D texture instead of just flat shapes,” James Long told WGSN.
The look: Explosion in an Ibiza paint factory
Silhouette: Slim but with slouchy knitwear adding volume to tops
Key items: Laddered-stitch knit twinsets, splattered leather biker gilets, all-over-print knee-length shorts, spidery rainbow-knit pullovers, and cardigan coats
Colour: Beige and tan browns offset with soft washed-out summer shades of blue, red, pink and purpleFabric & knit: Incredible machined and hand knits using patchworked techniques and hand-pulled stitches to create 3D textures, clean denim, and cow-hide leathers
Print & pattern: Two key print directions, one based on a paint- and liquid-spattered artist's studio floor, and the other on a swirling, oil-on-water psychedelic theme
Details & trims: Print linings, smock-inspired half plackets, and heavy-duty boiler-suit zips
Footwear: Black, brown and tan suede ankle boots
Accessories: Fabris Lane collaboration matt metallic and plastic shades; signature all-over print holdalls

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Live From... London Fashion Week, Day 5

Clements Ribiero

            

Closing the final day of womenswear shows, design duo Clements Ribeiro was welcomed back on to the London runways last night with their first show in five years. Chanelling a softly 60s California vibe, the collection was expertly executed, edited (just 24 looks), and entirely covetable.
"The mood is long and linear - it’s all about the mid-calf length and, of course, lots and lots of print. For colour, we started off wanting something quite tropical, but then we found the prints and thought, 'California!'" Inacio Ribeiro told WGSN.
The look: Neat and prim
Silhouette: Midi-lengths, long and lean
Key items: Flat-front flared pants; columnar dresses and mid-length pencil skirts; waisted dresses with wrap top; long-line cardigans with pailette trim or neatly fitted collared cardigans; striped sweaters with buttoned shoulders; loose-fit cotton smock dress with decorative tone-on-tone yoke; swing jacket and box-pleated A-line skirt suit; pleat-front shorts with crisp button-down shirt
Colour: Sunshine yellow, mustard and fawn with chocolate brown, navy and warm milk white
Fabric & knit: Printed silks, georgette, cotton poplin, matte piqué jacquard, matte matelassé, Breton-striped knits, lace
Print & pattern: A white-on-fawn degradé lily of the valley silhouette floral, an overblown leaf-green creeping floral on navy-blue ground, three different poppy prints in placement bands working the length of trouser legs or dress lengths
Details & trims: Paillette rosettes, flat printed silk flower appliqués, three-dimensional knitted pockets, scalloped Chantilly lace trim, contrast-print panels
Footwear: Printed silk platform wedges with three-layered flaps at front
Accessories: Chunky clustered-paillette rope necklaces


Ashish

Designer Ashish Gupta described his muse as "the bastard child of Calamity Jane and Rooster Cogburn" in his show notes, setting the tone for a wacky Western theme, narrated in Gupta's signature sequins.
The look: Pop-trash rodeo
Silhouette: Flips between boyfriend baggy and slinky sexy
Key items: Western rodeo shirts and oversized T-shirt tops, worn with fringed hotpants or straight-cut jeans; slinky minidresses, square-cut T-shirt dresses and racer-back mid-length column dresses; fringed jean jackets, tracksuit sweatshirts and jogging pant shapes
Colour: Sky blue, rodeo red, neon pink, marl grey, mid-wash denim blue, black and white
Fabric & knit: Signature all-over sequins and paillettes, stonewash and tie-dye denims, sweatshirting
Print & pattern: Paisley bandana prints, circular tie-dye, trompe l’oeil crushed and creased denim. Sequinned motifs including cow print, leopardprint, coin spots, coyote heads, flames, and Western checks, plaids and ginghams
Details & trims: Long fringing in leather, suede or chain, draped cowls at the back of dresses
Footwear: Hand-painted cowboy boots (Ashish for Topshop) in two lengths, decorated with Western-themed appliqués or kitsch logos and branding
Accessories: Bandanas, trucker caps, stetsons, feathered headdresses


 Burberry Prorsum

A heavily rooted biker theme ran through Christopher Bailey’s spring/summer collection, as he continued his foray into the house’s archive and reworked it for today’s all-knowing sassy Burberry girl.
The look: Luxe biker chic
Silhouette: Overtly body-con
Key items: The biker jacket and the biker jacket… Not forgetting the revamped trench. Bailey reworked classic biker heritage shapes, cutting them skin tight, cropping them to mini proportions, working them in silver or in python, or banding them with wet-look quilted patent and studding them with a battalion of gold spikes. Flippy peplum hems sat atop the tightest quilt-panelled or snakeskin leggings. Military detailing came into play for next summer’s narrow trench-updates - only size 6 and below need apply. A small selection of boxy satin shifts gave way to signature ruching and petal-tiered silk body-con dresses, next summer slashed low to reveal bare backs harnessed with leather straps
Colour: Stone-coloured neutrals added a luxe touch to biker silhouettes, teamed with accents of neon-like brights - turquoise, orange, magenta and lime - for wet-look patent accessories. Black and silver were the grounding colours, while those neon-like brights worked for slick satin shifts and a muted palette of saxe blue, military green, amethyst and elastoplast pink added a more feminine feel for tiered layered silk dresses
Fabric & knit: Leather, python, metallic leather, silk organza, silk, wet-look patent, ruched washed leather and silk satins, dense stretch qualities. Fine-gauge knits with mesh
Print & pattern: An abstracted leopardprint on ruched sheers
Details & trims: Quilted panels, contrast fabric/material blocking, leather straps on dresses, bristling spikes, mesh inserts
Footwear: Vertiginous high-heeled shoe boots with biker detailing
Accessories: Wet-look patent in brights for wide belts, python patchworked bags, biker belts with double chains, long envelope-shaped bags, double belts


Amanda Wakeley

Amanda Wakeley marches to her own beat, eschewing transient trends in favour of her signature brand of luxe sportswear and full-on evening elegance, all perfectly chimed with a simple colour palette and tactile luxe fabrications.
The look: Tribal safari
Silhouette: Soft, unstructured and draped
Key items: Luxurious tie-belt coats, simple sheath dresses worked in long or short proportions with subtle asymmetric details, draped tulip skirts and fluid all-in-ones. For evening, the emphasis was on draped toga-like silhouettes and simple columnar bustier dresses - elegant, simple and indisputably Wakeley
Colour: An almost degradé-like palette of luxurious sand-toned neutrals, morphing into cement greys, anthracite, deadly nightshade and cappuccino, punctuated with watermelon pink, ultramarine blue and white
Fabric & knit: Tactile fabrics with a luxe touch included sanded silks, punched leather, silk crepes and fluid silk jersey, mouselline sheers, silky crepons and mercerised jersey
Print & pattern: A splatter fresco print on sheer
Details & trims: Bands of pewter-like beads and multiple silver chains worked into over-layers or as design-defining trims
Footwear: Bronze leather open-front sandal boots
Accessories: Rose-gold cuffs and minimal collars, double leather belts, deep corset belts


Jonathan Saunders

A wonderfully fresh collection from Jonathan Saunders - an assured highlight of the week - saw the print designer soften his signature graphic style with short and swingy swimwear-inspired shapes and a "light and optimistic" colour palette.
“I tried to not work the prints in such a controlled manner this season - all the artworks are painted by hand and the diffused effect was airbrushed. It's a much more free way of working - it loosens everything up a bit and makes it feel less like architecture and more like clothes,” Jonathan Saunders told WGSN.
The look: Crisp summer sportswear
Silhouette: Short and swingy
Key items: Short skater skirts paired with sheer T-shirts or crisp cotton shirts buttoned to the neck, fit-and-flare sundresses or pencil-slim tailored bustier dresses with a sweetheart neckline, columnar maxidresses, simple halterneck slip dresses with delicate organza overlays, culottes, box-pleated circle skirts, swimsuit-inspired halterneck tops
Colour: A refreshing palette inspired by the off-beat combinations of artist Allen Jones - zingy Seville orange, grass green, sky blue and optic white, set against cement grey, café crème neutrals and black
Fabric & knit: Cotton poplins, linen weaves, printed organza overlays, swingy viscose, taffeta for party-dress options
Print & pattern: Crisp hoop stripes, airbrushed stripes, a screen-printed mono-colour silhouette Hawaiian floral, flecked spatter print, heat-sealed wet-look placement stripe
Details & trims: Grosgrain ribbon trims, sporty grid-mesh panels, micro-sequin border pattern, sash-wrapped waists
Footwear: Colour-blocked courts with ultra-low-cut vamps and ribbon-tied ankles, bow-trimmed leather sandals with coloured stacked leather heels
Accessories: Wide grosgrain ribbons with a skinny leather waist belts on top


Todd Lynn

Todd Lynn offered his most severe silhouettes to date, with reed-thin pants, corseted jackets and body-contoured dresses cut so slim, they resembled second skins, perhaps a conceptual synergy with his use of pythonskin for summer 2011.
The look: Snakeskin thin
Silhouette: Strictly tailored
Key items: Strictly tailored dresses with funnel necklines; narrow-cut city shorts; super-slim cigarette pants; funnelneck biker jackets with quilted shoulder panels; sharp-shouldered tailored jackets with corseted waists; asymmetric wrap jacket with buckled strap; straight-cut skirts with python patch pockets
Colour: Sandy beige, verdigris green, vapour grey, saxe blue, washed gold and dark anthracite
Fabric & knit: Leather, suede, pythonskin, stretch linen, cotton jersey, ramie silks, woven stripes
Details & trims: Silver zips snaking up the spine of dresses, tracing trouser pockets or contouring dresses; coiled mirror panels, spliced python panels
Footwear: Extreme platform/block-heeled shoe-boots by Christian Louboutin
Accessories: Asymmetrical leather panel harness, silver Shaun Leane shoulder pieces and carapaces


Marios Schwab

Cut through the intricately worded press release, and the Marios Schwab collection was full of the kind of desirable pieces any girl would want for next summer, from feminine slip dresses to mini biker-inspired jackets.
The look: Boudoir biker girl
Silhouette: Feminine and flirty versus body-con biker chic
Key items: The pretty camisole slip dress ran throughout this collection, with lingerie-inspired detailing such as lace edging, fluted hankie hems and multiple fine straps criss-crossed at the back. Contrast that feminine look with slick leather pants, leather shorts and pencil skirts, or with cropped biker-inspired jackets and tattoo-printed jersey. One stand-out dress came in
form-fitting stretch charmeuse with filigree lace inserts strategically placed to accentuate feminine curves
Colour: An offbeat mix of colour that unexpectedly worked with boudoir poudre pinks teamed with turquoise, a shot of pistachio green, tan and black
Fabric & knit: Crepe de chines, fluid silks, stretch cottons and charmeuse, lace, leather, printed jersey
Print & pattern: A tattoo print underpinned the collection, worked on pale poudre or turquoise grounds
Details & trims: Multiple straps with lingerie clasp detailing, lace inserts, self-coloured lace trims and edging, handkerchief hems, pintucks, D-rings, elastic gussets on leather. Swarovski crystal trims
Footwear: Black or tan shoe boots with contrast topstitch placements and D-ring trims
Accessories: Leather bridle harness, printed clutch purse, metal cuffs, D-ring trimmed belts


Jaeger

Stuart Stockdale continued to carve a signature look for the Jaeger London label, combining luxe sportswear with crisp angular tailoring and strongly defined silhouettes.
The look: An essential luxe summer wardrobe
Silhouette: Soft sportswear versus angular tailoring
Key items: The simple shift dress appeared in several guises, from crisp 60s colour-blocking to luxurious summer suede and sheened satin. Masculine tailoring inspired mannish ivory and black coats, maybe teamed with narrow cigarette pants. The parka came into play, reworked in cropped silhouettes, worked as a sporty utility dress or a billowing outerwear piece layered over a matching sporty dress in one of the strongest looks from the collection. Elsewhere it was all about slouchy crochet knits, soft suede shorts and semi-sheer tunic tops for a melodious riff on luxe sportswear
Colour: A strong dramatic palette of black and ivory, with watermelon, old gold, ink, absinthe and cornflower, grounded with luxurious neutrals such as buttermilk and sand
Fabric & knit: Luxurious fabrics are the hallmark of the Jaeger London brand, this season appearing as summer suede and leather, weightless eyelet cottons, double-faced satin and semi-sheer organza-like weights. Knits were super-fine or came as chunky crochet
Print & pattern: Stockdale addressed the emerging trend for cut-about stripes, along with a dramatic abstracted placement in watermelon reds or black on an ivory ground
Details & trims: This brand relies strongly on seasonal detailing, and for summer we will see contrast banding and colour-blocking along with subtle high-low hems
Footwear: Chunky platforms, ankle-strap sandals and sporty flats completed the look
Accessories: A great leather-trimmed canvas bag, coloured bum-bags, small cross-body bags, leather belts

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