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LONDON FASHION WEEK - ROUND UP
With so many upbeat young designers showcasing their collections at London Fashion Week this season, London was THE place to be and be seen. Forget the super-deluxe catwalks of Paris and Milan; London is a hot bed of creativity right now!
Not only do we have a host of super cool designers making headlines worldwide – Todd Lynn, Marios Schwab, Emma Cook and Peter Jensen to name but a few – we Londoners know how to have a damn good time!
Christopher Kane’s after show party at trendy Shoreditch House saw the fashion glitterati out in full force. Surpassing the martinis and Manolos, Tammy Kane rocked up in a marabou-feathered dress straight off the runway!
With London’s fashion elite pulling out all the stops, it was hard to keep your eyes on the catwalk at times. Notorious for taking risks, there were some seriously stylish statements made on London’s front rows. We loved Alexa Chung in Louise Goldin’s knitted blue dress – similar to the amazing space age body con looks she showed this season. Technically brilliant!
Spring/Summer 09 is not going to be dull if Fashion Week is anything to go by! Designers evoked an exuberant and super young vibe with hyper colours and playful prints.
At Topshop Unique, Bananarama headscarves, stonewashed denim and kitsch printed vest dresses were young and fun, while at House of Holland things couldn’t have got any louder with monochrome polka-dot Levis jeans and vivid floral prints.
Model of the moment Agyness Deyn, couldn’t resist strutting her stuff in best friend Henry Holland’s transparent polka dot dress at his hip after show party. Packed with London’s bright young things, Pixie Geldof was seen in the DJ box whilst Alice Dellal, Daisy Lowe and Lizzie Jagger hit the dance floor.
Richard Nicoll also proved himself to be a master of colour with clashing blocks of tangerine, fuchsia and tomato red, while Christopher Kane released his wild side with stegosaurus platforms, clashing leopard prints and ferocious guerrilla faces plastered onto little black dresses.
Poking fun at our obsession with celebrity, Ann-Sofie Back produced an avant-garde yet beautiful collection of jersey dresses that had surgical marks and horizontal bones drawn onto them.
Marios Schwab also used the female form as a starting point for his fluid jersey shapes that were held together by rope or metal chains. Schwab’s divine jumpsuits are guaranteed to be one of next season’s most coveted pieces!
With so many hot new names and fresh ideas, the international press and buyers flocked to London for a slice of hip exuberance. The new epicentre of cutting edge fashion, London has reaffirmed its place on the style map and is gaining momentum with every season.
WATCH THE LONDON FASHION WEEK ROUND-UP
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Sex, Lies and Volleyball at House of Holland
Henry Holland is the self styled mascot of young fashionable London and certainly tapped into their fun, adventurous spirit in his ‘Sex, Lies and Volleyball’ spring/summer 2009 show.
Taking inspiration from the late 80s/early 90s teenage nostalgia of the 90210 variety he sent jaunty models down the catwalk in silky, spotty, garden-floral printed looks.
There were over-blown rose and hydrangea prints blooming over everything from sheer peg-leg trousers to petal-line dresses. Bold monochrome polka dot prints added to the playful mood and covered cycle shorts, cut-away monokinis and floor sweeping t-shirt dresses. And the look of the day came as a peek-a-boo mesh mini dress with provocatively placed spot motifs. Super super cool!
Shapes were also a distinctive nod to the teenage looks of early Beverly Hills 90210 episodes with cropped midriff baring sateen blazers, suede Bermuda shorts and sweetheart necklines taking center stage.
In a clever collaboration with Levis, Holland also presented on-it ‘mom’ jeans that fitted to the natural waist and came with the same spot motif, either printed on or as a laser cut-out pattern.
Among the floral printed denim pieces were pretty silky romper suits and scoop neck lycra bodies that added to the cheerful, upbeat look. Holland might not be a master craftsman but he sure knows how produce an exuberant collection perfect for a summer romp!
