DUCHESS KATE, WE HAVE AN LFW GUIDE FOR YOU...

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Over the Summer, we heard that Anna Wintour had given London based designers a brief: your muse must be the Duchess of Cambridge. It has already been shown that, like it or not, our new royal sells clothes in unprecedented numbers. If she wears it, a certain kind of everyday-stylish blow-dry obsessed girl/woman will want it.

The Duchess of Cambridge is under considerable pressure to wear British designers so it makes sense for them to play to her clearly demonstrated taste levels. But they can't explicitly write 'This is for you, Duchess Kate' on their show notes now can they?

The Duchess has already dipped her toe in the water of experimenting the current London line-up by choosing Erdem to wear for stepping off the plane as she embarked on her Canadian tour. This initial promise though failed to materialise as she stuck mostly to old faithfuls Issa, Temperley and McQueen for the remainder of her time away (apart from another Erdem dress for morning prayer on Day 3)

Kate, in Erdem, and William arrive in Canada (image from Daily Mail)

So, how did the London crew approach Wintour's call to arms? It is likely that the idea of using Catherine as their woman might grate, she's hardly on the cutting edge of glamour and modernity in those nude heels and fascinators is she? Well, we noticed a number of references to a kind of deranged housewife figure. The next chapter in a book begun by January Jones' Betty Draper. And actually, at the moment, that is how many people see the Duchess because she is overwhelmingly defined in the public eye by her role as wife. We don't know what she thinks or what she's passionate about. So, in my first attempt at replicating the previous Fashion Junior's Big Head feature, I have scoured images from the past few days to see what we might be seeing HRH in next Summer, and she'll have a lot to dress for what with the Olympics and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations....

Burberry- Kate and Wills were engaged in Kenya so she might be quite taken with this Kanga print

Clements Ribeiro. Lace is a sure hit with the Duchess

She already likes Erdem, florals and shifts so this is a must-buy

Giles does classic Princess-y shapes

Kate is Issa'a number 1 fan but this would be a change from the slinky wraps she usually chooses from the label

Sara Buys, Harper's Fashion Director and a relation by marriage of Kate's, chose Osman for her outfit to the Royal Wedding so surely on the radar

The most Kate worthy dress from Peter Pilotto's offering

Add heels and a fascinator and ta da, a classic K-Mid wedding outfit from Richard Nicoll

Daytime prettiness from Jonathan Saunders

Perfectly demure for a black tie event, again from Jonathan Saunders.

I don't even need to add a head to this, it has vintage Duchess Kate written ALL over it...

Issa

 And what she won't be wearing....

Meadham Kirchhoff weren't bowing to Wintour's memo, and good for them!

Images from catwalking.com

GILES TALKS PREFALL!

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Got a call from Justine Fairgrieve (the founder of Relative): "Giles has invited you over for a cuppa and a look at his pre-fall, fancy it?" Prefall is a current working obsession. Giles is funny, charming and a very smart designer who never takes himself too seriously and yet has a very serious business creating collections for his own line GILES, new client Ungaro and various other projects. I was there.

Giles thinks his data bend print maxi dress is "a bit Eva Beadle in Little House on The Prairie" (She was the school mistress). I think its beautiful - Giles, consider this a personal order!

Why the prefall obsession?  Fashion consumers desire for frequent deliveries on new product has made the inbetween collections pretty major. So these days while the runway shows are designed to create media buzz and set trends, pre sets the agenda for how we will actually dress and offers a hint of what might come in the mainline.

Did you know we are in fact far more likely to end up wearing"pre" collections for our daily working and social lives. Why? Because its what the stores buy most of! Tom Chapman the co-owner of Matches recently told me pre collections constitute the majority of their buy.

Evidence of how the pre category has vaulted to high importance status was demonstrated last week when several of the world's eminent fashion editors and designers congregated in New York to view/show pre-fall collections. Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, Balenciaga and Celine presented in showroom. Lanvin even had a pre-fall fashion show. You can view them on American Vogue's website, or better still read this precis by the lovely Sarah Mower at Vogue.com, then view.

The week after next the Haute Couture shows will take place in Paris. For the average busy fashion editor there are six significant Couture shows to attend, but for the first time I can remember an equal number of hours will be spent viewing the pre-fall collections from labels ranging from Chloe to YSL.

Along the pre-fall rail at Giles cavernous new studio in The Truman Brewery

Three years ago the Giles pre-fall collection comprised ten dresses. Now it is a 70 piece collection (above) and the stores spend almost as much buying into it as they do on his runway collection. That also tells you how times they are a changin.

"Pre collections can't just be nice basics anymore," he says while flicking through the rail of blouse dress, maxi dress, draped day dress, cropped jackets, jazzy flared trousers and some applique chain detail Miss Haversham evening dresses. I see a lot of GILES best silhouettes reworked in stricter proportions, and a few new ones too like the eye-poppingly intense violet cerise blouse dress below.  

The blouse dress in cerise silk crepe and silk satin

GILES collections tend to have one of two moods; playful or strict. This one is veering strict. "Yeah its stricter, tighter, more austere," he says, though there is techno fun to be found in his data bending print. "Data bending is when kids mess with the binary numbering of pixels within photographs. I don't get what they do, but my print designer Rory Crighton ran with it. I think this was achieved by lifting the scanner lid..."  

Ooh trippy! The data bend print again. I shook the camera a tiny bit for effect.

"You need workness. It can't be boring. Really, I see this as setting the agenda for how I move forward on the runway collection."

All Giles hangers have the little goggle eyes. So cute!

Then it's time for tea and we discuss the inspirations for his runway show, (to be revealed later) and he shows me the venue for his Ungaro show in Paris on March 7th. It is a government building that has never been used for a fashion show, and it took 11 years of asking for Ungaro to be allowed to use it. Judging from the pictures the ambiance of the Ungaro show will be utterly magical.

The Katie Grand styled lookbook images getting laid out for running order.

Pre-fall hits shops at the end of June. For more pre-fall check back Monday when Fashion Editor at Large picks her personal top ten from the collections so far, and Fashion Junior at Large picks her top five. 

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND! 

MALIBU BARBIE: THE NEW STYLE ICON FOR SS11?!

Posted by Fashion Editor and Junior at Large

I'm in Paris. I love my little hotel on Rue St Honore, and how its just a block from Colette. In the cafe downstairs the manager even remembers my favourite red wine. The first 24 hours have been hectic. I interviewed Heidi Klum at the Ritz for Grazia, not before practically walking into Mario Testino in the lobby, and then being caught up in the flurry of Naomi Campbell leaving the building. Then there was Cavalli's amaaaazing party (read about in Grazia next week). After delivering the copy my first show was Balmain. Read the review over on Grazia Daily.

In the meantime, we have been thinking about the most important looks from London, and have realised that there is a new style icon in town.

Meet the muse for SS11: the one and only Malibu Barbie.

 

 The original Malibu Barbie, circa 1971

Having been released in 1971, Malibu Barbie is an icon from the era that nearly every designer referenced in their SS11 collections. Originally, she was sold wearing a fetching aqua swimsuit, with an eveningwear ensemble called 'Lemon Kick' - a yellow confection of pleated chiffon, with on-trend angel sleeves and flared trousers. 

As bizarre as it may sound, it does seem that Malibu Barbie's pastel-perfect colour scheme, love of a pleat and a way with floaty chiffon has indeed influenced what we will all be wearing next summer. The catwalks were awash with a palette of aqua, vibrant pinks, and flashes of yellow. Sleeves, capes, trousers and dresses were billowing silk-chiffon affairs in very Seventies styles, and denim was always in the palest of Charlie Girl washes. There were large helpings of crystal glitter (a Barbie essential), A-line shapes were enhanced with pleating and the abundance of fringing added to the Malibu beach feel. 

Still don't believe us? Let the pictures speak for themselves...

 House of Holland SS11

 

  House of Holland SS11

Richard Nicholl SS11

 

Giles SS11

 Unique SS11

 Matthew Williamson SS11

Mark Fast SS11

 Richard Nicholl SS11

It's not just the clothes, either. California golden blonde flicky hair, rainbow eye makeup, neon pink highlights and glittery lipgloss were the key runway beauty looks. Remind you of anybody?

Julian J Smith SS11

So there you have it: Malibu Barbie, inspiring girls since 1971, and the style icon for the new season. 

Images: Mattel, Style.com

TRENDS THURSDAY: TRANSPARENCY SS10

Posted by the Fashion Junior at Large

Today we are giving a lesson on the trend for sheer fabrics and transparent layers that came up from the SS10 catwalks and our favourite designers including Alber Elbaz and Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel. You might normally avoid clothing of the see-through variety because it's so, well, revealing (warning: model boobs ahead). But fear not - there are so many creative, beautiful and subtle ways to do it - the key is all in layering, accessorizing and underwear. Take notes from these looks and imagine the fun you'll have messing about with tulle and chiffon this summer...

Lanvin - Note the chunky gold chain sitting under rippling sheer fabric - loving this as a new way to showcase accessories.

Jonathan Saunders shows us a more subtle and wearable way to do transparency. Sheer paneling is the easiest way to embrace the trend without revealing too much.

Antonio Berardi - Me thinks ASOS may have been taking inspiration from this corseted piece. The heavy crystallised embellishments are masterful.

Chanel - Holy jeez this is gorgeous - all those lengths of chiffon billowing in the model's wake.

John Galliano at his theatrical best. Long sheer dresses were the most popular way to show the transparency trend on the SS10 catwalk. Big (but sexy) pants vital.

Giles - Patterned leggings would increase the wearability of this fierce and fabulous dress tenfold.

Alexander McQueen - A true artiste no? All those translucent ripples and folds are bubble-like. It's all very sci-fi.

Prada - This fabric holds its shape beautifully, creating a clean modern version of transparency.

Valentino - Barely there lace netted trousers? They're not classically Valentino, but these layers of wispy fabrics are looking really fresh and pretty. The Fashion Editor at Large loves this!

Prada owned the transparency trend, even extending the see-through theme to a whole season's worth of  great accessories. Can't wait to wear..

Prada - At the press day we discovered this bag was inspired by chandeliers which play with light and throw out rainbow reflections (it comes with an opaque inner bag to keep your valuables hidden). Truly lovely.

 

Chanel prove sheer can be innocent. Wrapping yourself in a chiffon wrap like this is an easy and economical  way to tap into the trend.

Love Sex Money - Don't know this label but this looks so sexy, and the styling is great with the multi-strap platforms, the looped leather belt and the satin shorts. You would have to have a stomach like Britney circa 2002 to wear sheer fabric as clingy as this though. A little black vest is essential.

Giles - How playful was Giles feeling this season? Hoop underskirt, berzerk tulle upper, and fem-bot bustier = pure genius.

Photos courtesy of Catwalking.com / Chris Moore

SS10 CATWALK: INTRODUCING TRENDS THURSDAY!

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Christopher Kane incorporate lingerie detailing into his good-girl-gone-bad collection for SS10

At the end of each month of catwalk shows in February/March and September/October I come home and immediately closet myself in the study to create an enormous and comprehensive trend report. It helps focus the mind on what I've been doing for the previous few weeks. And when intensely using Chris Moore's brilliant catwalking.com you see what you missed in the flash and rush of a runway show. I love Chris.

Yesterday afternoon, while scrolling through my opus to SS10 it occurred to me that I could now serialise my trend report on FEAL. So I welcome you to the very first Trends Thursday!

I'm kicking-off with the mega-trend for lingerie, corsetry, and visible underwear. So many designers picked up on this visible/invisble, body-contouring, uber-feminine trend; each in their own unique way.  Likewise we can also adopt it in our own unique way.

So here is my personal edit. Let the pictures talk to you.

   high fashion super gorge lingerie fashion inspirations for ss10

Sophia Kokosalaki - love the way she has created the corset top with bra detail underneath. SO beautiful.

Loewe - Stuart Vevers mixed orange lace with khaki, a colour blend to take note of, methinks

Just Cavalli - who knew putting a satin bra over a tank could look so sexy.

YSL - this is demure, yet sensible and you don't need to share your midriff with the world

Ferretti - how pretty is this? The lingerie trend can be as sexy or innocent as you want it to be

Dolce Gabbana - I have seen Stefano and Domenico's corsetry up-close, and the workmanship is flawless

Justin and Thea of Preen are superb designers - I love their dresses, and this blends the corsetry theme with a light touch

Jean-Paul Gaultier - hmm. Love this shot. If I was 22 again I would wear this clubbing

The brilliant Giles Deacon corset dress - his SS10 show was my favourite EVER Giles collection. Can't wait to wear it!

Louis Vuitton - just drink in this outfit for a while....The tassled shoes, the duffel, the denim corset. It's brilliant!

 

I was lucky enough to have Antonio Berardi talk me through the making of this corset on Grazia Daily. It was created by hand and then built into the the dress. His work is exquisite and totally contemporary

Bottega Veneta - this is how I will be wearing the lingerie trend. So chic! To me it looks like a new beginning.

Christian Dior - for me John Galliano was on total form for SS10. When I saw this in the showroom, it was actually an all-in-one.

Christian Dior - another one from John. This is a dress, and when I got up-close to it, it looked like a silken treasure from the trousseau of a forties Hollywood starlet that had been re-shaped for the 21st century

Fendi - a modern way of showing the underwear trend.

Dolce Gabbana - love the way they did this play of sheer/opaque goodgirl/badgirl. Modest sexiness is where it's at

After viewing this you should be an expert, and when you see the trend highlighted in print media you can nod sagely and say "Oh yes, I know all about the lingerie trend for SS10!".

Blogging is all about comments, so don't be shy, tell Fashion Editor at Large what you think about all this....



THANKYOU TO CHRIS MOORE & CATWALKING.COM FOR USAGE OF ALL THE LOVELY CATWALK IMAGES