#sophia webster
>>Sophia Webster S/S ‘14 Collection. >> For the bright & bold, pretty & colorful, young & whimsical.
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London Fashion Week - Days 3 & 4
Day 3
Patchwork is a nice technique which is becoming more and more fashionable, and Preen by Thornton Bregazzi (photo 1) put it at the centre of its collection, stitching different fabrics together, mostly tartan and checks, in a hurricane of colours and ruffles. The black part was more focused on the cut and on the subtle decorations of the pieces, and another take on the patchwork theme was proposed in a lace version.
I would title Mulberry collection as ‘oversize elegance’. Loved the shearling checked coats and the giant jackets in cream and brown. But at London Fashion Week space is also given to great accessory makers. The collaboration Aspinal of London x être cécile (photo 2) had one of the best collections in this field, with shoppers, clutches, suitcases, basically every type of bag you can think of, in amazing prints and mix of contrasting colours. I need one! If you’re more about shoes then, don’t miss the shoe extraordinaire Sophia Webster (photo 3), especially if you’re not an ordinary person and you want shoes that fit your personality. A pop art collection made of everything you can think ok: animal prints, butterflies, feathers, Coca-Cola logos, messages on bags and shoes… Amazingly colourful, amazingly extravagant!
There’s still someone doing flowers, and I’m actually happy about it after all. Matthew Williamson proposed in this sense a 70s inspired collection which struck for its ability to pair the opposites: amazing chiffon gowns with loose silk pajamas, different flowery prints mixed together in a schizophrenia of patterns. The evolution of floral print continued with Temperley London (photo 4) - or is it better to talk about 'hybrid’ in this case? Hybrid between flowers and ethnic patterns, which was really visible in the collection with warmer tones and darker shades linked through the constant presence of the black. Boho silhouettes with a sexy twist.
Toga proposed its deconstructed kimonos, while Belstaff delivered its rigorously structured coats paired with more contemporary pieces of clothes. Beautiful the furry-fringed sweater.
Vivienne Westwood Red Label was fearless. I mean, don’t you feel it’s brave to choose very short shorts for a winter collection? It’s possible with Vivienne, especially if paired with a pair of red rain boots. And of course, the mixing of prints with the iconic tartan. Mary Katrantzou (photo 5) draw inspiration from wallpaper, which seems to be the newest trend on the runways. This time Katrantzou decided to give it a minimal restyling, and while she kept silhouettes very simple, she put all her fantasy into the prints and fabric manipulation. The classic wallpaper was then declined in several bright shades of yellow, orange, green - loved the fringed textile looking like grass - and appliqué of plastic and PVC ruffles went to adorn skirts, jackets and tops. Also loved how the collection was balanced on the runway: the darker shades were suddenly followed by pops of colour, so you could see a maroon and purple little dress and then, BANG! a neon yellow three-quarter sleeved top with a black mermaid skirt.
Jonathan Saunders’s collection (photo 6) definitely had a graphic quality - the three-dimensional prints of the beginning were just psychedelic - again like in Katrantzou, I appreciated keeping shapes simple to give space to experimentation on the field of prints. A wide palette of colours, which found its maximum in the degrading stripes of tones in some of the skirts and shirts.
Day 4
Antonio Berardi (photo 7) chose an unusual summery palette of lemon yellow and tangerine for a very elaborate structure of ruffles and layers of fabrics. In the simplest looks the sophistication came from jewel-like embroideries. London designers have understood that they don’t have to be afraid of colours during winter, and Roksanda (photo 8) proved that colourful furs and dresses can brighten up even the cloudiest day. Her clothes, then, do it in the coolest way possible. Loved the colour blocking as well as the variety of materials. Balance between flamboyant shades and more subtle ones.
I’ve learnt that in Erdem’s collections (photo 9) two things are sure: lace and chiffon. This time even leather was treated as lace, with intarsia-like shapes covering and embracing the body - sometimes in unusual shades like deep purple - and chiffon was there, ethereal as usual, in a wide variety of tones for little flowery dresses. But there was more to it: there was brocade blackened like coal, or even wool for coats in which the raw hems underlined the structure of the beautiful tailoring. Burberry Prorsum (photo 10), with long embroidered shawls, fringed leather skirts and capes, multicoloured maxi gowns in chiffon, definitely stated itself as a collection strongly inspired by boho culture.
Osman started very ethereal in the different tones of white, with feminine shapes and materials and ending darker, total black, with leather and feathers. But the real poet of this day was Christopher Kane (photo 11). The body is a primary problem for a fashion designer, and we know Christopher Kane is one of those artists who approach problems from the closest point of view possible - remember the biologically precise version of flowery print he proposed some seasons ago? So why not putting the body directly into his clothes? I was already amazed by the first black velvet pieces with women profiles in different colours on them; the middle part of the collection was all about the juxtaposition of layers of contrasting colours, without letting any of them prevale over the others though, a concept which took sense only in the last, amazingly emotional part, with the juxtaposition of human figures on the dress and on the models’ bodies themselves. I was completely speechless and this is definitely one of the best collections I’ve ever seen.
Peter Pilotto (photo 12) was inspired by board games and the paths in which you have to go forward through your moves. The collection itself was a sort of game and the cheerful colourful looks were the perfect match for such inspiration. Giles (photo 13) went instead for period costumes with an algid appeal. Loved the decorations of the silk dresses - are those mushrooms?
xxx
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Ginnifer attended the 2017 AFI Awards Luncheon in Beverly HIlls, CA (Jan. 6th). She’s wearing a L.K. Bennett dress and her shoes are Sophia Webster.
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SOPHIA WEBSTER Chiara Embroidered Butterfly Sandals, Nude In Pink.
