There were many highlight's in Gareth Pugh's all-grey show this evening, namely the spectacular versions of the mohawk headpiece, which first appeared in Gareth's 'moodboard' film installation created in collaboration with Ruth Hogben. To coincide with his Spring/Summer show, we are proud to announce that the orginal 'Double-Mohican' headpiece from the film, hand-crafted by Pugh himself will be sold in the SHOWstudio SHOP.
Taking up the 'fashion baton' from Alex Fury, I've just arrived in Paris to cover the first four days of the last leg of the Spring/Summer 2010 shows. There was a pile of intriguing invites waiting at our hotel including a handwritten postcard from Maison Martin Margiela, metallic pink strips from Yohji Yamamoto and a folded A3 sheet bearing a graphic cube courtesy of Gareth Pugh. Gareth is one of the most eagerly-anticipated on today's schedule following his the screening of his 'taster' film in New York, stay tuned for updates!
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Apologies for the rather washed-out video footage due to the blockbuster spotlights (what else!) of this morning's DSquared2 show, but I felt the fact had to be commemorated as this was our first -and last - show of the day, and the finale to our S/S 2010 Milan Fashion Week.
What have we learned from the last five days? Well, it's galvanised the haute sport feeling of the past few weeks into a genuine trend, and built an ever firmer foundation for, well, firm foundations - namely the boned and bombasted corset and underwear-as-outerwear, everywhere. Dolce e Gabbana originated this almost twenty years ago, and they still do it better than anyone else. They went back to their roots for a collection that will appeal wholeheartedly to every Catholic girl gone bad - and every red-blooded male to boot. What seemed new was a feel for 'poor' fabrics - what the Italians call the 'poverino' look. Long gone are the days when Vivienne Westwood's distressed layers were lambasted by the Italian fashion press with the refrain 'why are you making us look poor? We want to look rich. We are rich!' For next season, Jil Sander presented hacked-up hopsack safari suits and Prada left raw hems unravelling on everything. Admittedly, these two labels constitute Milan's intellectual underbelly - far more Italian (if more raucous Rimni discotheque than Milanese palazzo) was the triumphant, triumphal Versace show, a shameless cavalcade of glitz and glamour, pouting lips and flowing tresses. Everyone's doing Versace these days, but nothing really compares to Donatella's ode to Gianni. It was short, tight, bright and molto, molto sexy Italian fashion at its very finest. The see-through handbag trend also abounds, at Fendi, Prada, DSquared2, to name but few. Is this a rather literal pun on 'financial transparency' in the wake of Madoff - and if so, could there be a less appropriate place than Italy to start an aesthetic conquest for a new economic morality? Far more likely - and Italian - is the fact this puts all your wordly goods on show, rather like those outre Versace handspan PVC skirts, without a doubt my favourite pieces for 2010. The last thing I expected to feel after ten days of non-stop shows was energised, but it's undoubtedly true. Spring/Summer feels like it's finally on its feet - and fighting. Roll on Paris!
I've just written up my views on Christopher Kane's new Versus collection for our Collections reports, but wanted to share this snap of Mr Kane's cheeky little scarlet number in Versace's silk-swathed showroom on Piazza Vetra. By far the most packed of all the presentations in Milan (possibly due to the presence of the slightly-overwhelmed Kane and indefatigable Dame Donatella), the turn-out was well worth it, as very fine the collection looked too. Being a boy, there was little in this molto sexy display for me - but the mini-pochette and hefty holdalls studded with Medusa-head safety-pins in metallic green, red and purple could adapt very easily into my wardrobe for next spring. If only I had a Liz Hurley to accompany them...
From my limited comprehension of the Milano Moda schedule, the Italian word for press appears to be 'stampa' - appropriate really, as that's exactly what the press do to force their way into each and every overrunning, oversubscribed show on the Milan calendar (and London, and Paris...). Here is the stampa stampede outside this morning's Marni show.
No, this isn't some idylic Tuscan farmhouse I stumbled into for a break from the fash-bashing Milan fashion week is giving me (I wish). It's the helm of Roberto Cavalli's catwalk, styled up as said provincial villa and replete with trailing vines, wicker furniture and a croft-tiled runway. Maybe we're going to see Cavalli do country? That said, his invite shows lusty club-going revellers framed with zebra banquettes - not a hint of greenery or a milkmaid ruffle to be seen. Deciphering these pre-show indicators is a bit like playing fashion Poirot - I'd hedge my bets on the forthcoming collection liberally representing both.
My last show today is Jil Sander - and lo behold if there aren't more of those odd projections (a la Prada) doing the rounds. These ones are hanging from the ceiling AND come with sound. Bit like being in a Bruce Naumann installation - frankly, rather disturbing.
Could two invites be any more different? On the left we have Versace's neo-baroque bonanza of pink, silver, artful laser cutting and a font so elaborate I can barely read it, and on the right is Jil Sander's inkless take on the same theme. Perhaps the jagged edge to the latter holds clues as to what Raf Simons will be showing for the august house - I'm pretty certain Versace's exuberant invite will be reflected in the collection, not least because a hefty clutch of other designers have been doing the same for next season. Despite their contrasts, these two Milan leaders are showing side by side later this afternoon - but first it's off to Ferre, our inaugural presentation.
Hopefully children of the eighties will know what I'm talking about when I say that these imagined architectural projections at Prada remind me of the ITV series 'Nightmare'. Equally, they're redolent of any number of eerie Second Life virtual realities tossed about the World Wide Web in the last decade or so. For many in the audience a Prada parallel universe would be very heaven. Our last show of the day is about to begin.
The finale of London Fashion Week was dedicated wholly to menswear, from shows to presentations. Royal College of Art graduates James Long and Carolyn Massey opened the day with catwalk shows, followed by the much-anticipated Fashion East's menswear installations. Curated by Lulu Kennedy in the East Wing and Vaults at Somerset House, designers this year included Blaak, Casely-Hayford, Husam El Odeh, Jaiden Rva James, Louise Gray, Mr Hare, New Power Studio and Sibling. Men's knitwear label Sibling presented a series of collections that included trompe l'oeil knitted denim jacket and sequin jumpers. In a minimal white room surrounded by green plants were footwear designer Mr. Hare's new collection of men's shoes in tan and beige tones. Continuing to focus on the British sartorialism and craftsmanship, father and son design team Casley-Hayford's collection entitled 'Kings of the Kings Land', was shown with each model standing on round podiums wearing casual day wear inspired suits and coats. With a growing number of interest and designers showcasing diverse approach to menswear there seems to be enough room for potential and true creativity.
Cevil Jung
Celebrating its 25th anniversary in its new home at Somerset House, London Fashion Week saw the homecoming of designers such as Jonathan Saunders, Matthew Williamson, Burberry Prorsum and Pringle of Scotland as well as a visit from esteemed American Vogue editor Anna Wintour, her first in two years. Alongside an official schedule of catwalk shows and (for the first time) presentations, The British Fashion Council organises an exhibition showcasing a wealth of design talent including a dedicated NEW GEN area. Launched in 2001, the Topshop-sponsored intitiative supports emerging designers, offering them sponsorship, an exhbition stand, use of the BFC catwalk tent and mentoring. Having shown as part of Lulu Kennedy's Fashion East show, recent Central Saint Martins graduate Michael van der Ham presented his collection of composite dresses based on those shown last February at the MA show and Louise Gray's '80s London girl' inspired clothes were accompanied by stylist Judy Blame's customised bags and shoes. SHOWstudio favourite Fred Butler debuted oversized versions of designs derived from her archive using an origami technique that virtually changes shapes, and a rainbow coloured necklace made from off-cuts of lighting gels. Alongside her new designs, Butler also presented her most recent film, currently showing as part of the Fashion Body installation at our SHOWstudio: Fashion Revolution exhibition.
Cevil Jung
Our first Milanese show of S/S 2010 could not be more quintessentially Italian. This is the Fascistically-regimented Dolce e Gabbana show space - a cavernous, specially-built glitzy showcase for the duo's equally glitzy collections. Upon arrival, press were divided into odd and even, then drilled with military precision down each side of a caramel-carpeted runway to their respective place in the amipheatre. These seats are flip-down cinema-style, and on each and every one of the seven hundred or so spaces is a sizeable chunk of Dolce's fragrance empire. All this ramataz is awe-inspiring to say the least, but overall it's making me feel more than a little homesick. Compared to this slick polish, little old London feels like a different planet.
Add a last-minute Milano Moda schedule and you have my checklist for our latest fashion week excursion. While the rest of SHOWstudio breathe a collective (but probably short-lived) sigh of relief after the trials, tribulations, tears and tantrums of London Fashion Week (not to mention the small matter of the SHOWstudio: Fashion Revolution opening), I am off to the capital of Italian fashion and all that is bright, tight and troppo sexy. Our coverage kicks off today, and the biggest story is of course Prada this evening. But that's all still to come. In home news, they've just called for boarding and a huge throng has rapidly gathered, all waiving tickets and screaming to get in and nab the best seats. Oh god, I'm having a fashion week flashback! Here we go again!
After an exhausting day to end an exhausting (and might I add ram-packed) London Fashion Week, here is a snap of the tinsel-strewn climax of the Burberry Prorsum show, our very last (womenswear) collection of London. I would like to point out that the entire edifice this show was taking place within was specially constructed for one night only. Recession? What recession! Long live Burberry!
After a day of back-to-back catwalk shows, Peter Jensen's presentation held at the ICA this afternoon, was a welcome escape. Having collaborated with American artist Laurie Simmons, the delightful installation incorporated live models, large-scale prints and these intriguing miniature cut-out 'fashion dolls'.
Fashion East is all about the underground - Lulu Kennedy took it quite literally this season, showing in a fantastic subterranean vault beneath the official tents at Somerset House. The minus was no mobile phone reception, but was far outweighed by the pluses: a front-row seat for every guest, and the best goodie bag of the week. The clothes were pretty terrific too. Now we're on to Jonathan Saunders, a Fashion East alumnus himself.
As perhaps you can tell from the subtle, understated portrait adorning his show notes, Jeremy Scott is showing for the first time in London for S/S 2010. I've got the feeling that, whatever he shows, it ain't gonna be subtle.
Every time I opened my bag this week, the Christopher Kane invite - bearing an odd, luridly technicolor image of a scary Victorian china doll - has scared the bejesus out of me. We're on our way to Kane's show now. Frankly I'm as excited to be shut of the thing as I am to see the show.
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The walk through at Marios Schwab this morning. Hopefully you can catch a glimpse of our first Anna Wintour siting - front row centre, naturally.
Richard Nicoll closed another busy day of back-to-back-shows - you can now catch up on all of our London Fashion Week reports so far here. Tomorrow is a day we've been particularly looking forward to with Marios Schwab, Todd Lynn and Christopher Kane's shows on the official schedule, and then our SHOWstudio: Fashion Revolution party tomorrow night. So that preparations can be made for the party, the gallery will be closed during the day but normal opening times will resume on Tuesday.
First Louise Goldin and her Bible, now Antonio Berardi shows in a church (no doubt to the most secular of congregations). Maybe divine intervention is shaping up to be a S/S 2010 theme? Only time will tell. I'm polishing up my Old Testament references as we speak.
As good luck talismans go, Louise Goldin's is heftier than most - a Jewish bible (it is Jewish New Year after all). It evidently worked!
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I have been asked by Louise to point out that, when this interview was conducted, she had been awake for over 48 hours! Louise, it was definitely worth it! Here, in Louise's own words, is her S/S 2010 show.
It's a not-too-early start to a very busy day three of London Fashion Week and I'm off to the Topshop Space to see the latest from Louise Goldin. I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview a few weeks ago while the collection was still in embryonic stages, but the pleated, curlicued and gold-splattered invite above should give some hints as to what we are about to see. I genuinely cannot wait - but fashion being what it is, I imagine I will have to...
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The final walk through of the day, courtesy of Charles Anastase. Make your own minds up on the collection for the moment as I'm still honing my erudite response. More later...
A leisurely start to London Fashion Week has led to the not entirely unknown phenomenon of me being obscenely early and forced to loiter outside the Charles Anastase show, our last for today. With seven back-to-back shows tomorrow, I'm enjoying the rare respite while it lasts. Quiet moments will be in woefully short supply for the next month or so...
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Amidst much air-kissing, I snagged Mary after her show for a quick one-on-one about the inspirations behind her collection. Three days without sleep and she can still give a great soundbyte!
...as this slew of invites no doubt indicates! Our London Fashion Week coverage kicks off later this afternoon, and for the next five days we'll be tweeting, blogging and pap-snapping from all the London shows. For now, however, the invites will have to suffice for visual stimulation. My favourites are Louise Goldin's intricately pleated number, and Marios Schwab's neat take on the kiddie flip-book.
Ethereal and light as a feather, Calvin Klein's collection for spring involved deceptively simple shapes and unusually textured natural materials. Weaving their way through the warehouse space to sparse piano and xylophone notes, models were clad in white needle-punched cotton, silk chiffon, crinkle silk and mohair jacquard, broken up with warm pastels and shades of grey. AnOther Magazine's David St John James is to thank for this blackberry pic - my phone was dead - cheers David!
Red was the recurring theme throughout Phillip Lim's eminently
wearable collection, shown today at the Bryant Park Tents. Models
stalked through a crimson geometric and mirrored set in delicate,
pleated silk dresses, cropped trousers and tops with tie up backs, and
classic full skirts. The palette started off strictly red - one
eye-catching piece being a crimson PVC trench - and soon merged into
neutral territory with nude, camel and chocolate hues...
For the second time in a row, designer Alice Temperley chose to
showcase her new collection off the catwalk - presenting it at
Chelsea's Milk Studios by way of a video projection and series of
mannequins. Themed around the circus, the video featured acrobats,
knife-throwers and trapeze artists donning Temperley's latest
carnivalesque wares.
My highlight of fashion week was seeing Iris Apfel 30 minutes ago at
the Oscar de la Renta show! She is a sartorial star, an eccentrically
fabulous fashion fan who wears a bit of everything all at once,
proving that more really can be more! In front row sat Anna Wintour
and the wonderful Grace Coddington. De la Renta's collection was a
triumph of old school glamour at its best.
Michael Kors delivered a super fresh and clean vision for the new
season - a pastel palette and iridescent fabrics shaped the collection
of subtly experimental wardrobe basics.
Halston presented their latest collection at a showroom on Spring
Street in SoHo today, it comprised of numerous 70s-inspired dresses
themed around the metallic "notes" of their recently launched perfume.
Dresses were chiffon, asymmetric and ruffled, in silver, burnished
gold and iridescent sequins. Apparently the house is laying relatively
low until new Design Director Marios Schwab takes over next season -
something to look forward to.
As usual, Rodarte proved to be one of the significant highlights of NY
Fashion Week. Equally magical and menacing, yellow light and smoke
flooded the warehouse space, as a dark, absorbing soundtrack silenced
the crowd that included Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, Jason Schwartzman
and the amazing Grace Coddington. Wow!
Donna Karan showed a collection of draped and asymmetric flowing silk dresses for spring. Grey, cream and peach ensembles reigned throughout, with shots of vivid red and coral dresses paired with unusual, sculptural sunhats. Asymmetric chiffon layers seem to be the theme this spring in NY, seen again on the catwalk today at Tony Cohen...
Gareth Pugh screened his latest fashion film in Chelsea tonight, with a rooftop afterparty looking out over the Highline and Hudson river seemingly populated entirely by Londoners - which was a nice change of pace this week. Pugh said he created the film, "As a mood board and a way of expressing a feeling and emotion, it's setting the scene for my upcoming show rather than just showing the clothing."
Diane von Furstenburg's S/S 2010 collection took Orientalism as a defining concept. From gold wreaths adorning the models heads to animal prints, tribal beaded dresses and kaftan-like shifts, "Sunset on the Nile" proved a compelling theme.
Max Azria stepped up his signature bandage dress this season with body-con numbers featuring braiding, crocheting and beading - with a little metallic sheen thrown into the mix.
Derek Lam sent out a collection of easy, breezy bright ensembles for SS10 featuring bold multi-colour floral prints on black, block colour silk separates and gathered mini-dresses with corsetry detailing. There were also a few body-suits (or are they swimsuits?) strewn throughout the collection - they look great but are also slightly mystifying, how do you actually wear them? There were more than a few fashion editors asking the same thing at the Herve Leger show where body-suit/swim-suits popped up once again...
After a slight technical hiccup (rectified by our new developer Paul Herron) the Collections project is now populated with images from New York Fashion week. Reviews are coming in from Indigo Clarke and Chris Moore and his team are sending us up to the minute images, so keep checking back.
Ohne Titel's charming design duo, Alexa Adams and Flora Gill, took
direction from days of way old with a collection inspired by ancient
Egyptian wrapping and draping techniques. Their signature complex
knits came out to play, as did plumes along hemlines and seams - a
compelling vision for spring.
A show that brought a little sunshine into a terribly rainy day, New
Zealand designer Karen Walker's vision for SS10 was flawless. 60s
British seaside fare proved the inspiration for a collection of
straight-up adorable macs, loose-fitting dresses, navy and white
striped everything, sunhats and boat shoes. Love at first sight...
Alexander Wang sent out another effortlessly cool collection for SS10,
to a front row populated by Terry Richardson, Kim Gordon and one-time
muse Erin Wasson. Held in an extensive warehouse space by the Hudson,
models strutted down the mega-long catwalk in leopard print wedge
heels and lace-up shoe boots in sleeveless, deconstructed macs,
midriff baring sweatshirts and, of course, bosy-con mini dresses.
By way of presenting his SS10 men's collection, designer Tim Hamilton
collaborated with artist Collier Schorr to create evocative films
featuring his new wares. With his collection's - both men's and
recently women's - now showing each season in Paris, the presentation
in New York indicated Hamilton's abiding connection to the city.
LA-based designer Scott Sternberg turned up the heat for his SS10
presentation at Milk Studios, with a collection showcased on an
artificial sandy beachscape, summer sounds in tow. Girls and boys
looked fresh-faced and windswept, wearing preppy chic blazers, tapered
slim-fit trousers and boat shoes. Classic American sportswear
revisited.
More akin to a rock show than a fashion presentation, Erin Wasson x RVCA's show this season at Bryant Park had Brooklyn noise band Gang Gang Dance supply hypnotic tribal beats live alongside dreamy Californian super-8 imagery projected on a screen behind. Bruce Willis sat with gorgeous wife Emma Heming up front, overshadowing all other celebrity guests, as 70s slash 90s ensembles that could have stepped right out of the cult film "dazed&Confused" hit the catwalk. This was a happy reminder that NY fashion show's can be a lot of fun.
Phillip Lim decided to go against the dour economic climate, and rather than scale down took things up a notch, showing his menswear line for the first time during NY Fashion Week. Lim explained post-show, "Being a fashion fanatic like me - I had to do this for my life. Doing menswear is personal, it's like oxygen for me."
Gorgeous couple behind Preen, Justin and Thea, were glowing at their Soho Grand garden party to celebrate their SS10 collection on Wednesday 9th - and after seeing the show today, and meeting their new baby girl Fauve backstage - it was easy to see why the pair were looking forward to showing off their latest wares.
Downtown NYC was alive tonight as 'Fashion's Night Out' took over the city. The fashionable terrorised the streets as parties hit every conceivable location - there were literally hundreds cruising with goody bags through SoHo onto the next free-drinks shenanigans. Though the shows may have kicked off this morning, it seemed most were waiting until this evening to make an entrance at events as diverse as Prada's do featuring The Rapture, Opening Ceremony's street party with "trunk" shows by Band of Outsiders, Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang and Rodarte alongside DJ sets by Vampire Weekend, Sienna and Savannah Miller hosting at Intermix and Rodarte - happening at Barney's Madison Avenue featuring a special performance by Justin Bond. Starting with Preen at midday, NY Fashion Week really gets going today: I'm looking forward to seeing what Justin and Thea have come up with this season, Philip Lim's inaugural menswear line should be interesting and the front row at Charlotte Ronson's will definitely be something to blog about. Day 2 here we go!
Today, the fashion circuit (or should that be circus?) kicks off for Spring/Summer 2010, launching with New York's fashionable offerings for next year. For the first time, SHOWstudio.com will be in the very thick of the action, with journalist Indigo Clarke slogging and blogging her guts out by uploading Collections reports live from the runways throughout the week. Accompanied once more by the ever-accomplished catwalk photography of Chris Moore, our real-time seasonal coverage kicks off later today! Here's to a very very busy month!
