The triumph of red and the return of tweed and tartan at London fashion week
As the curtains closed on New York Fashion week, the jet set of International fashion moved to London for the bi-annual edition of London fashion week, which took place a few days ago, from February the 18th to February the 23rd. This year, for the first time, the event was also screened live at Piccadilly Circus, thanks to a maxi screen especially put up to allow all Londoners to be a part of some of the most important celebrations.
Yes, because this London fashion week was not only characterized by a large number of shows from to top British (and not only) fashion labels, it was also the occasion to celebrate the Vogue.com 15th Anniversary, followed by the Diesel Adidas & Vice Party.
The designers presenting their fall-winter 2011/2012 women’s collections at London fashion week were almost all inspired by two main elements, which seem to connect all the fashion shows: passion red is the Must color of next winter and the combination of very different fabrics such as taffetà and wool, tweed and tartan, fur and velvet, to create a really particular look, original in style but classic and warm as far as the fabrics are concerned.
Some designers, such as Filippo Scuffi for Daks or Caroline Charles, were deeply influenced by the past styles of the 30’s, 60’s or 70’s, while other designers focused their collections exclusively on their personal ideas and creativity, without any reference to looks of the past.
Styles vary, as do the fabrics used, going from ankle length trousers to very short skirts, from very large coats to skin tight jackets, but these clothes are all connected by the use of refined and sought after fabrics such as tweed, tartan and wool, next to more sensual fabrics such as satin, lace or tulle.
If the fall-winter daywear look is mainly focused on ankle length skirts and very warm coats and jackets, the evening look reveals all the woman’s sensuality and luminosity thanks to structured long dresses made of satin or taffetà and with slit skirts and plunging necklines enhancing her natural beauty. Shoulders are left uncovered or they are wrapped in veils of sheer tulle, denoting luxury and refinement at its purest level.
High-heeled shoes and boots are largely adopted by British designers in their fall-winter 2011-2012 women’s collections, to enhance the womanly silhouette, but her elegance is also highlighted by decorative jewels (as suggested by Danielle Scutt) or by refined gloves and fur hats (as proposed by Issa London )
Handbags are considered an important accessory to complete the look of a gorgeous, elegant woman and almost all the British designers taking part in London fashion week sent their models down the catwalk accompanied by a handbag.
The most fashionable styles are the classic tote for the day time look, with a long strap (better if detachable) and two handles, so the business woman can wear it as she prefers, according to her personal tastes and necessities, and the luxury clutch (rigid and structured or soft) to clasp in the hand, or worn on the shoulder, with a strap made of fine gold or silver chains.
Nylons are the “revelation accessory” of next fall-winter season making the woman look more colorful, in the same color as the dress, as if they were a continuation of the skirt or dress themselves.
What about the trendiest colors for next winter 2011-2012: colors vary from red (the Must shade of next season) to black, from emerald green to yellow, as well as violet, purple, classic black, beige, brown, petrol blue, white and grey.
But let’s look in more detail at some of the most important proposals suggested by British designers at the latest London fashion week:
Paul Costelloe, despite the cold and grey season, imagines a woman wrapped in strong emerald green dresses, in perfect Irish style, using the typical Irish checked fabric both for trousers and for dresses. The second section of his collection however, dampens the vividness of the color, proposing autumnal red suits and short skirts, further enhanced by the red wigs worn by models walking the catwalk.
Caroline Charles shows a selection of dresses enriched by very intricate prints. White shirts have a small bow at the neckline, while high waisted skirts are ankle length, recalling the typical style of the 30’s. However, more sensual short dresses and mini skirts have a place in Caroline’s collection, mainly focused on dynamic colors such as beige, black, grey, red, white, electric blue. The top hat worn by Charles’ models is also very original.
Corrie Nielsen, on the other hand, focuses her collection on more classic shades such as white and black (typical winter colors) and the proposed dresses with corselets and puff sleeves recall the Elizabethan style, broken by a single modern accessory such as knee boots.
Danielle Scutt brings a woman to the catwalk whose style can be considered a mix of glamor and trash, with the use of many heavy accessories such as golden jewels in the most bizarre shapes from around the world. Net fabric is the leit motiv of Danielle Scutt’s collection given that she uses it for nylons, oversized shirts and jackets.
Daks’ collection, personally designed by Filippo Scuffi, seems deeply influenced by the styles of the 60’s/70’s as revealed by coats, cloaks and the large bell-shaped skirts clinched at the waist. The designer completes his woman’s look with the use of small rigid casket bags to hold in the hand by the short handle or to wear on the shoulder or across the body, with the thin strap. The colors in Daks’ collection are grey, white, red, black, light beige, brown and gold (especially for the narrow belts to clinch the waist line).
Betty Jackson shows a collection mainly focused on scarlet tones, using chiffon, wool and a new fabric composed of a mix of alpaca and angora, while Issa London proposes simple but never unusual clothes, enriched with printed designs of pheasant feathers, seashells, and animals applied to jersey mini dresses.
The evening look, on the other hand, reveals all woman’s sensuality with long evening dresses enriched by slit skirts and plunging necklines in dynamic shades such as petrol blue, cobalt blue, red, grey and russet, as well as classic black and white.
Nylons are matched in color with the dresses while gloves are really vividly colored. Black fur hats complete the woman’s look for the next fall/winter season 2011-2012 according to Ms London.
Vivienne Westwood, in the new Red Label line, offers a collection rich in detail, accessories and overlapping layers of fabric, using velvet, taffetà and plaid on mini dresses in very strong tonalities. Her collection is extravagant but up to the minute and almost every creation is accompanied by mini or maxi bags held by the handles, made of leather or fabric, according to the proposed style.
Wide handbags are certainly part of the Mulberry collection too, rigorously created in the same shade as the dress or the coat. They are usually held by the handles even when provided with a strap, while clutches can be either clasped in the hand or worn across the body by the convenient thin strap. The Mulberry collection is mainly characterized by wool jackets and overcoats worn with short skirts made of tulle in warm violet and red shades; the essence of style and sweetness, but also a very colorful and bright collection capturing the woman’s heart. The evening look, on the other hand, is primarily focused on elegant dresses made of shiny black or gold fabrics, given that the woman of next fall-winter season must shine and show all her sensuality, according to what was proposed by Mulberry designers.
Burberry Prorsum fashion house too, like most of the British designers taking part in London fashion week, focuses its creations on color, choosing very vivid tonalities such as olive green, orange, brown, cobalt blue, grey, red and russet.
Mini dresses and coats are made of checked fabric in typical Irish style in many different shades such as black/yellow, black/orange, black/fuchsia and obviously black/red.
Wide totes like suitcases are held by the handles (and possibly made in the same color as the dress) while clutches are structured but very linear in style, usually clasped in the hand.
Very fashionable is the black and white hat proposed by Burberry Prorsum to further enhance the woman’s refinement, while nylons (despite the general trends) are black and very opaque.
Temperley London shows a very sexy and romantic style made of lace and precious embroideries. Satin dresses enriched by printed lace are alternated with evening amphora shaped creations. Lace becomes the absolute protagonist of ultra sexy sheer dresses in black or beige tonalities.
Are you curious to discover the newest trends in the matter of style and color proposed by Italian designers at the Milan fashion week for the next fall-winter 2011/2012 season?
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