Burberry Pre-Fall 2011

Bye-bye biker babes. Farewell snakeskin, spikes and studs. Make way for refined, form-fitting flares, sleek tuxedos and modern takes on the classic trench, and suddenly we've got a collection Thomas Burberry would recognise. Christopher Bailey's latest pre-fall (or autumn, as us Aussies like to say) showing was a stark (and welcomed) departure from the spray on leathers and shrunken shapes of spring.  Gone are the neons and metallics, which felt more fad than fashion, having been replaced with a beautiful pre-autumnal (how appropriate) array of colours. Steel blues and greys, rusts, mustards and forest greens were combined in a way that fondly evoked a lingering summer, whilst the emphasis on black allowed for the pared-back silhouettes to take centre stage. And what wonderful silhouettes these were. 

Jackets were fitted, rather than shrunken, and hemlines moved south as coats were revived from their motorcycle counterparts. Edges were finished with sheared rabbit fur, possibly in reference to the ever so successful shearling aviator jackets of last winter.   The more subtle approach was made all the more smart when considering this is a collection that remains on store shelves for a good six months, bridging the gap between seasons. Not sure how many wool coats will sell in Australia during the tail-end of summer, but having experienced a European October, I'm willing to bet it's a different story for the brand's home country. And when it comes to coats, trust Bailey to deliver. Double-breasted, cinched, knee-length, cropped; wool, fur, puffer- talk about something for everyone (and every temperature, natch).

And finally, the flares. Possibly the standout item in the entire collection; these pants were beautifully cut slim-line versions of their 70s counterparts. The silhouette moved seamlessly from day to night, to ensure it's not just the boys who get to rock a tux when the sun goes down. And just like that, Bailey is back.   

via: style.com

Welcoming Winter

I can't wait til the cooler months arrive... so I can start layering up in all my European purchases. In my home town of lil' ol' Adelaide we don't get all that much cold weather, so best to make the most of it while we can. I think this season I'll be layering up in slouchy pants and blazers a plenty. Blazers! Don't know what I'd do without them. Now all I need is my shipment of (free, please) Burberry coats/jackets/parkas to arrive. Actually, anything military inspired is going to be veeery high on the list this year. I knew I was on to something when I purchased my army green silk-cotton blend tee from Cos in London.

On second thought, probably a good thing there's not a store in Australia, otherwise I would be one very broke (yet well-dressed) girl.


Photos: All Burberry Prorsum Fall 2010 at style.com

Paris wind-up: favourites of Spring 2010 prêt-à-porter

The end of Paris fashion week signals the end of the Spring 2010 season, and just in time for our very own Australian summer! The culmination of the shows heralds the end of runway party-season, with buyers for boutiques and departments stores the world over collating their lists of what exactly women will be wearing come summer. This season's in-store picks definitely won't disappoint- with the designers serving up an extremely wearable array of collections (amongst a few not so wearable... McQueen's amphibian woman instantly comes to mind here!) Below are some of my picks of the Paris collections that will have the biggest buyer appeal this season.

Celine

Phoebe Philo's latest showing for the French label will have women clamouring for the strong yet clean lines that have followed on from the fall shows. Minimalism was definitely the key trend, with the designer wanting to 'clean it up,' saying her aim was to make the collection 'strong and powerful.' Mission accomplished. The collection epitomised the contemporary woman; sharp tailoring paired with leather-everything; from the not-so-predictable jackets and capes to skirts, tops, dresses and shorts. Crisp whites and midnight blues perforated the neutral palette, which will ensure this collection packs a staying punch with the power-players.

Stella McCartney

Sticking to her 'what women want' aesthetic in a way that would've made Mel Gibson proud, saw Stella emerge from her boyfriend-blazer cocoon with the return of the waistlines. McCartney has always been one to focus on chic wearability as opposed to the showy artiness some designers can't get away from, and this aspect of her design is sure to please her clientele (and attract new ones) for many years to come. The blazers didn't disappear completely (thankfully!) but they were taken in a new- more shapely tailored- direction. Expertly placed ruffles were played down with pleats and belted waists, while also adorning bust and hemlines of print and flare-heavy skirts and dresses. As a cohesive collection, one can see how the woman McCartney designs for could easily move from day to night, office to weekend. Her chicly tailored separates enable wardrobe versatility; an aspect that couldn't have arrived during a more convenient summer.

Givenchy

With a mainly monochromal palette, Riccardo Tisci is another who's nailed the combination of geometric shapes and soft drapes. The program notes alluded to a roman theme; and while the toga-esque lines were a highlight, the Catholic inspired priest hats were not! The overall look was all clean-lined and refreshingly simple, and each piece had the sort of detail and craftsmanship you'd expect from one of the biggest names in Parisian couture. The handful of sheer, lightly draped dresses often complete with beaded shoulder accents were cleverly juxtaposed with the resounding strength in other silhouettes, creating a collection which will heavily - and successfully- target the edgy youth market.



Karl Lagerfeld also focused on accentuated waistlines paired with rising hemlines- a feature that also showed up in his collection for Chanel. This time around we saw a much more playful version of the label- in both the show and the clothes. Karl's current obsession, Lily Allen, kept the country theme rolling along, whilst the models waltzed (and in some cases, rolled) down the runway amongst bales of hay- whilst wearing clogs! Let's hope this part of Paris doesn't translate off-runway anytime soon. Lanvin's overt embellishment, whilst showing disregard for the recession, was a resounding favourite for the fashion-sweet tooths, while everything at Balmain will continue to be quick sellers, and feature on many a fashionable celebrity I'm sure. With the doom and gloom of winter behind us, this summer will shape up (quite literally) to be a buyer-blowout.


pictures: Style.com

Fashion Week...well, one of

Alex Perry

Things have been a bit stagnant around here, but the opposite can be said for the fashion world. The last few weeks have been a non-stop whirlwind of festivals, parades and fashion shows, and it doesn't look like it's letting up anytime soon. Last week saw the culmination of Sydney's Rosemount Fashion Festival coincide with Myer's Spring/Summer Fashion Launch, as well as the opening of Brisbane's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, phew!

Never one to take a back seat, Alex Perry didn't fail to disappoint, despite claiming to "tone it down" due to the state of "our economy." The collection did have a more subdued feel to it- almost centering around the staple LBD- but the crowd definitely wasn't disappointed in terms of Perry's trademark dramatic gowns. Another standout in the Perry show was Australia's Next Top Model winner Tahnee Atkinson, who donned a sparkling (almost too short) bodiced mini (Balmain anyone?) Definitely refreshing to see such a gorgeous, healthy-looking girl in a design usually reserved for the walking twigs.

Tahnee in Alex Perry

It was a bit of a mixed bag in terms of trends in Sydney, with some designers eager to break away from the drab winter gloom and with spring (literally) just around the corner, seemed bursting to get messy with colour. Although white was a standout at Therese Rawsthorne, Kirrily Johnston's show featured a palette of sunshiney goodness.

Kirrily Johnston

The power trend is still very much in business, with the structured blazer remaining the key trans-seasonal piece whilst waiting to finally shed those winter layers. Still prominent at camilla and marc, the look for spring sees the power players being diffused with a softer edge, as seen at Manning Cartell.

camilla and marc

Manning Cartell

Uneven hemlines have also carried on from April's Melbourne Fashion Week, with Ellery favouring this flowy silhouette. Kim Ellery is definitely one to watch, with her collection featuring artistic cutouts (Wang-style) paired with this season's take on harems.

Ellery

Another favourite of mine was the Bec & Bridge show, proving our designers are still taking their cues from the best, with looks from both this and the Ellery show slightly reminiscent of the Louis Vuitton Spring 2009 collection.

Bec & Bridge



photos courtesy of zimbio.