LFW S/S '12 Day 2 - 125 MAGAZINE
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FASHION
LFW S/S '12 DAY 2
After four and a half hours of corpse-like sleep with my feet slathered in Burt’s Bees following an evening at various parties culminating in a drink at the May Fair bar which my companion (who I won’t name for fear of retribution) described as “the most expensive Weatherspoons I’ve ever been to), it’s 9.50 and I’m in the pressroom at Somerset House following the DAKS show. The DAKS woman is the woman I want to be. She presents that core inner strength which is so quintessentially English, with an unfussy slick of elegance to soften it. Inevitably I fail here, being somewhat hapless and unable to wear things that crease easily. This month Vogue quoted James Cameron who wrote in the October issue of Vogue in 1969, “The Englishwoman – a wife, mother, engineer, chemist, cook, duchess, undergraduate, poet, politician, protestor – is durable, desirable, deductible in tax.” This, to me, it the DAKS woman. It’s a lovely thing to look forward to S/S when you’re just about to go through the tunnel of winter. And DAKS brought us 1950s British seaside in blue and white candy stripes, flared skirts, big bows on beautifully tailored sheer shirts with ruffled sleeves and macs (because the British summer wouldn’t be the British summer without a rain mac). One day I will be a DAKS woman and then everything will be perfect. As for S/S with DAKS, well I can almost hear the Punch and Judy show singing out, “That’s the way to do it!” A complete departure in the second show, Ashish. This has to be neck and neck with Felder Felder so far as my favourite and may even pip them to the post because of the wry sense of humour which coursed through the collection. Now, I’m a gardener so had an immediate affinity with the bright, sequined flowers and brick wall skirts, not to mention the boots which looked like flower pots, complete with weeds growing out of them, the trousers held up with garden twine and the dragged-through-a-bush-backwards hair. The final flourish saw all of the above set over mixed animal prints. One might imagine this would suggest ‘jungle’ but the styling was so ‘English potting-shed’ that this was avoided, keeping the ideas fresh. It was also nice to see healthy looking models who looked as lean, outdoorsy, bronzed and windswept as the collection they were walking. In a brief break between shows I popped downstairs at Somerset House to see the screening of a short film directed by Johnny Green and starring Liberty Ross. Packing Heat was made to showcase the S/S ’12 collection from Damaris. What is it about guns, girls and lingerie? It’s a bit of a cliché, no? Nevertheless it was beautifully shot with a killer soundtrack, powder-paint bombs, high legs, lots of bottom on show and candy colours. Watch it here. Felicity Brown’s showcase was held at The Royal Opera House and was a truly welcome relief from the scrums of the other shows. A violinist and pianist played as models mingled with the assembled company who were served champagne and canapé. The collection was lovely. Ochre and warm blues in flowing gowns and skirts with piping contouring the figure. The impression was colonial woman meets tribal with some strong prints to offset the soft fabrics along with the contouring. Great hem detail too and Edwardian hair enhancing the turn of the last century influence. Chatting to Felicity’s mother was interesting. She was terribly warm and told me all about Brown’s creative process and what a hands-on designer she is in terms of making, dying (in her mum’s kitchen sink) and attention to detail which no doubt stems from her textiles training. As we were talking Felicity was going into labour, which is why she couldn’t be there. Not a bad excuse really and we wish her much joy. Back in Somerset House courtyard I bumped into up and coming designer and protégée of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, Edward Finney (whose collection can be viewed in Freemasons’ Hall all week). I’d had a tip-off that he was up to something and then, into the courtyard walked a striking model with a shaved head in a piece from his new collection which then began to bleed black ink. Naturally every photographer in the vicinity surrounded her and it made for a nice little highlight in the day.
Jaeger made us stand in the rain, just to prove how committed we were. The answer is very. More bell sleeves (I love them), light gauze overlay, pleats, cutouts in various shapes, big hats and sunglasses, coulottes, angles and the familiar conservative colour palette with a smattering of mint and pink again. A few things in common with Costelloe here. The hair was gorgeous, smooth and healthy looking in side ponytails coiling round the neck. It was star-studded as well apparently, but I never recognise anyone famous so I couldn’t tell you who, apart from the lovely Hilary Alexander in snake skin Converse (it was leopard print yesterday I believe. Naturally.)
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The golden Westwood ticket clutched in my paw, I left for Smithfield Market super early, skipping out on the potentially over-crowded press bus and good job too as the tube was up the spout. Obviously I’ll forgive our Viv anything but
28/10/2011 11:46