Dame Vivienne Westwood presented her Red Label collection, which had a certain 40s aroma, as expressed by ample double-breasted coats with large round lapels, silk scarves tied around the models’ head, knee-length skirts and retro pearl necklaces. A tartan pantsuit brought a touch of Englishness to this elegantly ‘wise’ collection, while a beautiful red signature bias cut dress and silk printed one that generously enhanced the hips recalled Westwood’s legendary work on Eighteenth Century tailoring: all hoopskirts, bustles and corsetry. Among the collection’s must have pieces were definitely the two Queen of Spades-inspired sweetheart-shaped outfits with jackets that closed to form a giant heart.
The very talented Simone Rocha, rising star and daughter of designer John Rocha, presented a superb collection with a luxurious ‘royal’ spirit that involved Tudor-inspired black dresses with gold patina jeweled collars and lining, as well as an affinity for spectacular black jackets and coats with gathers, bows and ‘embossed’ pockets all tailored in the Japanese style. Impressive also was the draping, gathering and molding of some similarly structured crocodile outfits. Just as crafty and ambitious were the ethereal dresses with crocheted and embroidered effects that were an ode to femininity.
In a different spirit, Holly Fulton remains loyal to her taste for Art Deco prints season after season. This time, Deco prints took a comics twist and winked at 50s ads, Pop Art and retro futurism like the pastel-coloured opening credits of vintage cartoons featuring elegant ladies in hairdressing salons or Dr. Evil-ish characters trying to take over the world from the comfort of their control room offices. In this light, pretty manicured hands with large bangle bracelets holding old school oversized cell phones, keys or handbags, found their way onto dresses and outfits (although in this case the red nails were amusingly square-shaped). Other fun elements included exclamation marks; graphic lightening strikes à la Roy Lichtenstein, cogs, buttons and machinery. A colourfully ladylike and fun view of consumerism indeed!
Mary Katrantzou’s spectacular prints were nowhere to be seen this season, as the designer chose to make conceptual collage dresses out of the millions of signs and badges that surround us. The most trivial symbols like traffic signs or airplane icons were combined with prestigious ones such as boarding school insignia or heraldry symbols and applied on long lace dresses with maximum coverage thus picturing a world saturated by visual codes and emblems. For the latter part of her collection, Katrantzou worked on textures as she merged shiny metallic fabrics with plissé, short geometrically shaped skirts with flared trains and gorgeous coat of mail mini dresses that paid tribute to jewellery making crafts.
Winter sports seemed to inspire the Peter Pilotto duo this season. They used oversized landscape and geometrical prints in vivid colours for dresses and jackets, while colourful bands with buckles, big zips on sweater-like coats and camouflage protection gear-inspired shoes added to the alpine party mood. For the Pilotto team, boldness is certainly a dynamic principle that is key to their continuous success.
David Koma’s laser sharp tailoring and minimal style has earned him a place as the newly appointed creative director at Mugler not to mention jet set recognition. For his own label, the designer focused on beautiful basics in black leather, Klein blue and wild purple satin, while continuously refining his impressive braiding and leather appliqué techniques.
Last but not least, Osman made use of beautiful pop imagery like Cleopatra - Liz Taylor’s eyes printed on silk ensembles and dresses as well as oriental geometrical prints that were paired with modern braided fabrics in lively sporty colours.
Louise Kissa