London Fashion Week Daily

PHOTOGRAPHY JONATHAN SAUNDERS BY ANNA BAUER

PHotography Burberry Prorsum by Catwalking.com
REPORT BY David Hayes

*Flash* *Pop* Oh there’s Carey Mulligan. *Flash* Kristen Stewart. *Flash* Samantha Cameron *Pop* Fizzle* The Oslen Twins. Kate Hudson. Anna Wintour. Is that really The Kooks on the front row?
Yes, the Burberry Prorsum show pulled out all the stops and dazzled London yet again; wall to wall celebrities, the luxurious mega-marquee, the black suited male models ushering guests in from the rain with outsized Burberry check umbrellas, the fake rain inside – complete with unsettling stormy soundtrack. “I wish they would turn that off,” said the magazine stylist next to me of the constant splishy-splashy sound effects. “I’m bursting for the loo and that REALLY isn’t helping.”

Ah well. You had to be there. Or did you? The big news of course was that this show was being live-steamed in 3D across the world and what I wanted to say was that there is really nothing like actually being there. The push and shove to get in, the electric atmosphere, the whiff of near-by celebrity, the almost touchable quality of the clothes. But I was wrong. I didn’t see any of the celebrities listed above (bar Samantha Cameron).

Updates from Twitter on my iphone filled in the many blanks. Thank you Twitter.

And from where I was sat It took me a while to work out that the ‘leather trousers’ everything seemed to come out layered over were actually thigh-high leather boots. Sure even if I couldn’t see the shoes, I could still see the clothes – immaculate military great coats, sheepskin flying jackets, khaki lace, purple pleated satin, a kind of Burberry greatest hits round up really – but I would surely have got a MUCH better view at home. And a cup of tea and a chocolate digestive to boot. Maybe this internet thing isn’t such a bad idea after all.

PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Pilotto BY ANNA BAUER
Report by David Hayes

Not that they’re pitching, but Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos sent out an assured collection  that could set the curtains twitching along Rue Cambon…

Let’s play a quick game of fashion musical chairs. Imagine, just for a moment, if Peter Pilotto got the main gig at Chanel? Yes, I know what you are thinking, but bear with me. What would they do with all those classic tweeds, butter-soft leathers, gilt chains? Perhaps it would look something like their latest catwalk outing. In the tough concrete of Selfridges car park, the designer duo – that’s namesake Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos – sent out their most accomplished collection to date, patchworking light-as-air tweeds with random inserts of leather, slivers of metallic silver patent and a peppering of crystal studs into sleek tailoring with a savage edge. And those gilt chains? What better way to string a strap of fur across the body of a digital-print draped and folded dress? It was strong creative statement – but it also made perfect commercial sense. Cool and covetable? Maybe Mr Lagerfeld should be a little worried.

PHOTOGRAPHY Basso and Brooke BY MARCUS DAWES
Report by fiona campbell

It’s been a jungle out there this London Fashion Week. Elaborate animal prints with a revved-up Jungle Book soundtrack at Mulberry, feral looking models reminiscent of Where the Wild Things Are dominated the Unique show, and there were roars of approval for Nathen Jenden’s Lion faced dress and zebra stripes.  As expected design duo Basso and Brooke put their own graphic spin on the animal-tastic trend putting out a collection of Ethnic looking digitalised prints contorted to look like the furs of fictional animals.  “We wanted to create furs that don’t exist, so we invented them!” And the result? A fiercely textured collection of fantasy furs merged together to create an alien-like pelt, all without a dead animal in sight!

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

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

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

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

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, 23^rd February, BFC Showspace.