Vivienne Westwood Show - LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W"11

Vivienne Westwood’s unparalleled ability to wow was in full swing at LFW A/W”11 with a collection that did not fail to continue her legacy of wild and wacky fashion. Think Alice in Wonderland falls down the rabbit hole and lands bang smack on a busy London road where everything has been twisted into a beautifully backwards ensemble. Overstated make up was smudged onto the models faces and multi coloured hair sprouted from every angle imaginable under wonky trilbies and ballooned crown hats.

As the equally eccentric audience including the likes of  Paloma Faith and Boy George gazed on with admiration for this bent fairytale, the somewhat clichéd boyfriend cardigan was revolutionized as-if by magic in front of our eyes. Westwood coupled this overplayed look with brilliantly tartan and kilt skirts that provided a breath of fresh and funky air to the style! The classic pinstripe suit was also revitalized and daringly distorted patchworks and stripes stole the show, giving new meaning to the word ‘clash’. This collection was a great display of Vivienne Westwood’s fearless technique; she is forever pushing boundaries and her A/W”11 collection was undoubtedly a comment on the straight-edged designer.

Ties were placed crookedly, with courage on top of many pieces and leopard prints leapt off of the kooky models that wore them. After a fluttering of coloured feathers and with nearly 70 years of life experience Vivienne Westwood has returned to LFW, bringing Wonderland with her!

Jaeger Show - LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W"11

The London skies turned grey on Saturday afternoon over eager Brits hustling their way to the Jaeger Show A/W”11. However, his exquisite collection thankfully reminded the audience that the British heritage is far more then just clouds and crowds! The style was demure yet outstanding and the distinctly dark choice of colours paid homage to the navies, reds and military greens that make our country what is it!

Elegant and reserved models rained down the runway giving a new take on the winter coat that sported oversized lapels and were to be placed on top of uniquely textured knits. Jaeger’s creations were softened with strokes of yellow and gold that graced their collection with a gentle touch and prevented the dark tones from being too overpowering. The dogstooth and Prince of Wales check prints that have understandably become the brand’s signature provided a gorgeously British display of pattern.

Inspiration for this collection came from, ‘the rich landscapes of the British Empire,’ and this was portrayed excellently by flashes of jewel tones that sparkled against the duskier colours on belts and accessories. As silk blouses fluttered and elegant capes fell perfectly with every step of the models spat and piping detail shoes, Jaeger was consistently classic. This LFW A/W”11 collection not only made us proud to be British, but gave us a reason to smile through the rain!

House of Holland Show - LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W"11

The master of fun, Henry Holland, has once again returned to LFW with a flavor for everyone. His models sauntered to and fro in an array of cool pastels that undoubtedly left everyone craving a Fruitella or two! Those lucky enough to receive his invite that was cheekily printed on a Bingo card were certainly in for a delectable treat. As soon as the first outfit burst onto the runway, spotted with bingo balls and the catchy 60’s tune filled the air both models and audience alike were left bouncing with excitement.

Mr. Holland admitted that the muse for this quirky collection was his Grandma and his tongue in cheek combo of old school tweed and clashing prints, depicted this kooky time warp with pizzazz. Playfully pleated dresses were splashed with iconic faux pearl embellishments and were soon followed by squirts of mustard and beige that added a more savory taste to his collection.  Then came classical wide-legged trousers and in true Holland fashion a sweater depicting the hand-sign for sex, casually worn over a bitterly lemon chiffon dress.

However, the element of surprise was saved for last as knitted blankets covered in crazy and colourful crochet retained the light-hearted humor so familiar to the designer. This mischievous mélange of candy crochet, pick & mix patterned tights and tasteful tweed satisfies the palette of grandma’s and fashion guru’s everywhere. Whoever said the elderly aren’t cool has obviously never been to one of Henry Holland’s bingo nights with his Nan!

Felder Felder Show - LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W"11

Stunning twins Felder and Felder’s LFW A/W”11 collection was any avid rock and rollers dream come true. The sounds of thumping techno filled the air as the audience was plunged into a dark fantasy of grunge and leather! Models stormed the catwalk oozing sexuality in skin-tight leathers pinched at the waist with studded belts that emphasized womanly silhouettes. The palette of blacks and blues kept the atmosphere robust and allowed the models to etch their way down the catwalk in an ink-esque fashion.

Transformation was a key element of the vision and the collection included snippets of metallic skirts and digital print dresses that shone brightly out of the darkness. Crystal embellished biker jackets were teamed with lustfully structured bodices and screamed urban femininity. This aptly named Muse Collection offered a gorgeously gothic alternative to overplayed pastels and neons and indulged fully in the revival of shoulder pads and quirkily placed studs, emphasizing the ressilance of feminine toughness.

With oversized white coats featuring a frou frou fur ball hem and crossed back straps that added an elegant spice to the show, Felder and Felder continued to captivate their audience with this aesthetically pleasing display of grunge glamour. These twins are a living example that two is better then one and this is illustrated perfectly by their bold and kick-ass collection for LFW A/W”11.

Antonio Berardi Show - LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W"11

Floor-length has never looked so wearable then in Antonio Berardi’s  A/W”11 collection! A number of his gorgeous dresses flowed eloquently behind models that were fronted with the immaculate tailoring that separates him from the average and sloppy designer. His rich Sicilian heritage shone through in offbeat reds and lime green metallic dresses, representing the colorful clothing of Sicily with a desirably British twinge. Berardi’s tailoring is worthy of Saville Row approval but still retains that Italian edge. His show began with a number of heavily textured cream pieces that were soon followed by witty monochrome outwear laced with fur and wool.

Sophistication seeped from every pencil skirt that displayed unique geometrical prints and were cut perfectly to fit the model’s picturesque figures. In the words of Olivia Palermo, who was sat eagerly on the front row, his creations were “seriously fierce!” and we would expect nothing less of a designer whose life mentor was the one and only Galliano.  His use of see through laces and lurex was to die for, and his skirts cascaded in ways that volumised entire outfits. This cultural collision of Italian descent and British design left little for the imagination as Berardi’s attention to detail was depicted by the perfect mixing of chiffon and satin in some of his later pieces.

The stiletto Mary Jane heels created height and coupled with his elegant designs left models gliding down the runway in pillars of sultry style. We very much enjoyed this unique designers take on daywear and eveningwear and with an intensity natural to any true Italian, we were left smoldering in our seats!

Sass & Bide Show - LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W"11

The Australian design duo, Sarah-Jane Clarke and Heidi Middleton showered their audience with colour and excitement at LFW 2011 as their A/W”11 collection, “Boogie and the Historymaker,” undoubtedly made history. Far, far away from their monochrome rock and roll circus of last year, models stepped out exuding vibrancy and confidence. It is almost impossible to draw your eyes away from the attention-grabbing electricity of the show, as it pumped through every silk jumpsuit and sexy mini-dress!

Australia’s rich indigenous culture was embodied in the patterns and textures with fierce-faced models pelting down the runway, appearing as “Lady-like Urban Warriors”, which was the inspiration for the piece. This beautiful collision of magenta, coral and fuchsia, tinged with a calming beige was inspiringly printed on draped trousers and flowing separates, providing the perfect base for Sass & Bide’s unique embellishment. Flirty and fun straw-like raffia added to the earthy feel of the collection and found its way onto many dramatic collars and skirts. The clothing falls effortlessly and it is truly amazing to see how what was essentially draped cloth, had been placed with precision and yet still managed to capture the free-spirited nature of indigenous Australian heritage.

This collection has pushed Sass & Bide out of their monochrome comfort zone and into a plethora of colour! We are in full support of this bold move over the rainbow and hope to see more of the same from this dynamic duo in future.

Michael van der Ham - LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W"11

Velvet, velvet and more velvet! The reigning champion of fabric collage Michael van der Ham’s A/W”11 collection opened with a breathtaking display of velvet. As the first model calmly stepped onto the runway with a light splash of natural make up and wrapped in pale pink velvet, we were soon aware that this young and magically talented designer had upped the anti!

The previous three years of his remarkable collaged fabrics could not have prepared LFW for this outstanding change in his approach to texture. With eight enchantingly draped velvet dresses that came alive under the lights of LFW in jewel-tones ranging from a piercing red to and electric blue, the element of surprise resounded amongst the audience. This was followed by a collection of sophisticated knitwear, a first in Mr. van der Ham’s repertoire. And in a Jekyll and Hyde moment quirkily fringed trousers shimmied down the runway, this was a very out of character but successful move away from his more traditional designs. Fringing was also spotted on iconic black bags and his choice of large suede platforms provided the finishing touches.

His silk collage dresses of the past were adapted into sexy patchwork that snaked charming across pencil dresses and divided cardigans.  The timeless vintage print that were patched onto clothing coupled with his introduction of almost 3D velvet, proved this Dutch designer is about so much more then collage. His collaboration of texture, colour and design was easy on the eye, wearable and a definite highlight of Day Four.

Acne Show - LONDON FASHION WEEK A/W"11

In a waft of boiler suits and dungarees, Jonny Johansson reminded LFW that being an effortless cool character was still second nature to him. This Swedish sensation crafted his collection with such simplicity that came as a refreshing alternative to the more unconventional designers of the week. Minimalism was expressed through tame shades of indigo and olive and the odd lashing of mustard and black gave the collection an equally subtle element of drama keeping the clothing interesting and eye catching.

Patch-pockets and flirty skirts were a friendly hint that despite their leather jackets making them one pair of aviators short of ultimate coolness, Acne are still respectably not too cool for school! Cropped trousers and tees were also made of touchable leather in cool metallic and cobalt blues and the wedged brogues that enabled models to breeze the catwalk with unreserved swagger will be on every die-hard fashionista’s Christmas list.

However, no review of this show would be complete without congratulating Acne on their amazingly suave collection of coats. From a gorgeously simple, burgundy coat that stretched almost below the models feet, to THE black coat of the season that graced the runway as Johansson’s final masterpiece. It was long, lustrous and belted in the middle in that ever so simple Acne way… The show was a cool, calm and collected displayed of what Sweden has to offer the world of fashion and was an original reminder to LFW A/W”11 that sometimes, less is definitely more.