Jaws dropped when the Meadham Kirchhoff show began. Used to seeing black, moody collections from Ed Meadham and Ben Kirchhoff, the Arabic rugs, streams of tinsel on the floor and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring should have been a clue that this would be a bit different. The first look was a celebration of colour with a red mantilla worn over the face, topped with a tinsel tiara. Beneath that were two layers of floral dresses and long- john trousers, I think… There was so much to take in at once! Among the best individual pieces in this riot of a collection were the hand-painted biker jackets; the embroidered long skirts; the piles of Indian-inspired bangles created in collaboration with Erickson Beamon; red “nightie” dresses, orange floral blouses and the long event gowns. Oh, and the tinsel-embroidered shrunken- wool cardigans and sweaters. “We wanted to do as many pretty, amazing things as possible and put them all together,” explained Meadham. “It’s a narrative that begins in southern India and ends in southern Spain.” And success. Meadham Kirchhoff has arrived.
REPORT BY MELANIE RICKEY
Also in Catwalk
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Scents and Sensibility
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Anna Bauer's Edit
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Burberry Prorsum
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I Should Coco
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Fictionalised Furs
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CHRISTOPHER KANE
Christopher Kane has become masterful at delivering a clear, concise message, season in, season out. This time around, it was all about tailoring. In wool, or black matte or patent leather – much of it decorated with vibrant embroidery – it was contrasted with lace blouses or lace panels that were spliced across skirts and dresses. There was a folkloric feel to the colourfully embroidered pansies and wild flowers that started out gently running up the sleeve of a chiffon blouse or a black cashmere cardigan with artfully slashed sleeves, or across the hemline of a skirt, and ended up dancing all over short leather dresses. Later in the show, Kane traded the flowers for crystals with glittering starbursts appearing on matte leather mini-dresses or shell tops, or circling a deep black patent cummerbund that cinched a black wool jacket with crisp patent collar. There was a nod to his homeland in the neat (and super-short) black wool kilts and a gorgeous black patent biker jacket with lambskin collar that was embroidered with a cluster of Scottish thistles.
Report by CLARE COULSON
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MARIOS SCHWAB
If his first season at Halston was a distraction for Marios Schwab, he definitely didn’t show it in the strong, polished collection he sent out yesterday. He kicked off with a flesh-toned dress that was cut away at the bodice and edged with a waffly trimming. A series of pinafore dresses followed, all of which had a strict schoolgirl feeling (a nod, Schwab said, to being “the only boy at fashion school”), but were cut with curvilinear collars that dipped away to reveal crisp white shirting. Other jersey dresses were topped with beautifully cut, sculptural little jackets or pulled in at the waist with decorative corsetry. Schwab reinterpreted the dirndl, but there was nothing school-marmish about his full, short skirts and dresses that came out in loden wool, duchesse satin or richly coloured brocades. Later, he continued with the week’s yearning for embellishment, as crystals outlined the bodices of dresses, while textural coats in smoke grey or forest green, neatly belted at the waist, added to the plush, tactile feeling of this collection.
Report by CLARE COULSON
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ROKSANDA ILINCIC
From the voluminous crimped hair and glossy Seventies make up to the upbeat disco tunes, Roksanda Ilincic was in a New York state of mind for autumn, giving us a super-polished collection that was, she said, “all about the beauty of winter fabrics, their textures and the way they can be sculpted around the body.” There was plenty of Ilincic’s signature cocktailwear, including a parade of killer charmeuse dresses in deep olive green, raspberry and smoke blue. A highlight was a pale pink charmeuse tunic that fanned into an air-filled cape at the back to a stunning strapless oyster silk column with a sculptural asymmetric peplum. But she developed her day wear, too, showing a beautiful charcoal jersey dress draped elegantly across the body, and a series of clean-cut shift dresses in black bouclé and charcoal wool. Some tailoring came heavily embellished with crystals and beading. On a lighter note were the sheer flesh-toned voile blouses and fluid pants, all of which were topped off with sumptuous fur stoles and gilets – perfect for a well-heeled New York city girl.
Report by CLARE COULSON
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jaeger
Jaeger’s reinvention continues apace under Design Director Stuart Stockdale. For A/W 10, he focussed on traditional fabrics, from camel hair – which the brand was using more than a century ago – to sheepskin, leather, cashmere and wool mohair. Outerwear dominated this show: think oversized shawl-collared coats and jackets (which, when paired with black leggings and riding hats, took on a Mod feel), to single- breasted mohair overcoats. Some were deconstructed with cut-outs at the back – not too practical for an icy British winter. More appealing were the oversized zip-front cardigan-coats. There was masculine tailoring, too: a camel trouser suit with leather lapels and boyish- cut trousers; almost bohemian black velvet pants – which had all the ease of a pair of well-worn sweatpants – with pleats around the hips and a turned-down waistband. There were plenty of pieces here for the Jaeger woman also. The easy, ribbed sweater dresses, shaggy gilets and abstract appliquéd silk dresses were a collection highlight.
Report by CLARE COULSON
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Basso & Brooke Prints Moodboard
Introduction by Katie Greengrass
The Kings of playful prints, Basso & Brooke invite The Daily for an exclusive preview of this season’s key dress.
“We’re very excited to showcase our new prints and materials as influenced by the nomadic culture we encountered on our recent trip to Uzbekistan.”
“People would exchange and barter materials, adding them to their clothing, that experience inspired this dress.”
Basso & Brooke, 11.30 am, 23rd February, BFC Showspace.
