MARIA GRACHVOGEL DESIGNS LEAVE YOU FLOATING ON AIR…

Maria Grachvogel is an utter genius when it comes to stylistic superlatives of length and volume and today’s show more than lived up to her global reputation.

Blouses were soft, sleeveless and silver-grey, trousers flowed powerfully, yet gracefully as tidal waves, jumpsuits were elegantly figure-embracing, with  ‘v’, ‘square’, and draped-necks and dresses were maxi-lengthed, columns of grace…

Any departure from her well-loved repertoire incorporated asymetry, most notably in a dazzling dress, the colours of which seemed to have been boldly applied free-hand. The relaxed mood was also illustrated by a tie-front, cross-over jacket, as well as a wonderful, grey leather blouson, masterfully cut, in defiance of the its usually, less pliable properties.

Prints, though digital, had an artisanal touch, seeing steel-grey stripes merging with oak-browns, coffee-caramels saturated into chocolate-browns and pastel-peach to add a subtle drama. A stand-out motif had the appearance of veins from the underside of a leaf and appeared upon skirt and blouse separates, as well as being echoed upon both black-on-white and sheer versions of a floor-sweeping dress.

A glorious gown of the afore-mentioned chocolate brown/ grey variety with a stunning, fishtail train was the last swathe of garment to close a show which, from start to finish, exemplified the polish, poise and versatility typical of Miss Grachvogel’s distinguished design flair and artistry.

Simply put, it was a sublime crescendo to a spectacular last day…

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LFW: SIMONE ROCHA…TOTALLY TONGUE-IN-CHIC!!!!

Ahh Miss Rocha, with your style, you are really spoiling us!!!

Now before you tell me… I know it’s Roch-a as in ‘Ma-MA‘, not Roch-a as in, well, Rocher, but I couldn’t resist it! Nor could I take my eyes off this collection, which was, at once, stunning, as well as scintillating!

First impressions?

The ‘Simone Rocha-girl’ is the ‘Chanel-girl’s’ naughty little sister!!! The opening black ensemble of a sleeveless top with pearl-embellished neckline, which delicately surfed the stomach, a knee-skimming skirt, sheer popsocks, and a twist on the quintessential ballet flat, again, accentuated with pearls, nigh-on shouted LOOK AT ME..NOW!’, on its way down the catwalk!

What followed was an edgy, yet, romantically-inspired journey, which would incorporate glistening, black, texturised jackets and trousers, adding depth and balance to the strength of looks. A semi-tonal shift to grey, facilitated floral motifs to shine upon knee-length dresses, with the gradual movement through the neutral palette made complete by a welcome blast of lightning-white. Models resembled paper dolls in dresses, the material of which, appeared to be the most delicately-crushed, lily-white petals. As if to conclude the theme, Miss Rocha stripped away any tonal suggestions whatsoever, presenting us with her take on the see-through mac, choosing, instead, to use a doily/ crochet motif as the point-of-interest. However, the colourful introduction of a luxurious moss green, three-quarter length, leather coat, reminded us not to be deceived by the apparent fragility of the looks which had gone before!

With the optical amuse-bouche delivered, the journey meandered through variations, on a brocade theme. Top-to-toe separates which glimmered beneath the lights, as sunrays settling upon the fresh, morning dew, were quickly followed by pieces which saw a reprise of pearls, unexpectedly outlining single-slash cut-outs. This surprise adornment soon took a more recognisable format, with golden pearls being applied around the neckline of a fabulous white coat.

The finale was a breathtaking way to end the tour, with the last three models wrapped in peach-hued, gossamer-like material, featuring pearl-encrusted cut-outs and pop-socks…It was as if they had just been taken down from the shelves of a high-end fabric shop, ready to be unfurled, or were fairy-tale brides, ensconced beneath the most ethereal wedding veils!

What we had here, ladies and gentlemen, was a masterclass in meekness… In other words, power under control, which, I believe, not only befits the ‘Simone Rocha aesthetic’, but also extends to her ability to harness her unique talent. A talent which she deftly uses to deliver gifts of exquisite designs, complemented by an irrepresible measure of wit, that can only be described as truly tongue-in-chic!

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SIMONE ROCHA.COM ~ @Simone_Rocha_

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A TWITTER-FAVOURITE WITH CAROLINE RUSH (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL)!

MINE’S A 99, AT THE BURBERRY SS 14 LFW SHOW!

Watching the Burberry SS14 catwalk show reminded me of running after the ice-cream van as a child, in the heat of the summer-holiday sun (which really did shine for at least six weeks…honestly!), desperate for a ’99’… which was a traditional cone filled with vanilla ice-cream and a chocolate flake…!

So what had me reminiscing? Well, a palette of gorgeous lemon-ice, mint-green and  watermelon-pink sorbet shades, which were colourwashed onto relaxed, yet totally ‘put-together’ looks. Think Audrey Hepburn in ‘Funny Face’, for the tucked-in formality, except loosened-up with sheer-to-the-bone skirts, figure-hugging laser-cut dresses and structured skirts with daring splits, to show just enough leg to suggest that a Sophia Loren-like siren ripples beneath the surface! Standing out amongst the plethora of stylistic delights, were coats encrusted with dazzling crystals in dynamic flower motifs, which were re-visited upon skirts, for that extra edge and with a deconstructed clutch in a myriad of tones as a signature bag, the collection was complete!

Not to be outdone in either sartorial or colour stakes were the men, who were suitably attired in pink patterned shirts, sky-blue shoes, navy trousers which were blunt-cut at the ankles and camel-coloured coats, to name but a few items. Think along the lines of  Mr Hudson, the musician, on a day off and you’re pretty much there!

Once again, as London Fashion Week continues to build momentum, the House of Burberry has most definitely quickened the pace…. I, for one, am truly looking forward to seeing their fantastic SS2014 runway looks translated to the London thoroughfares…I’d swop my 99 ice-cream for a Burberry pink-sorbet number any day!!!

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DAKS THE WAY I LIKE IT!

….and like it, I did!

From sumptuous butterscotch-leather boyfriend coats and kilts, to slices of skin revealed in crisp white shirts and billowing peach flares,  every model seemed to float down the runway, in complete tandem with the effortless grace of each outfit.

As ever, the simple elegance and riviera-chic of the Daks SS14 collection was undeniable. The clean-line aesthetic was accentuated by finely -tailored jackets and suiting which skimmed the silhouette, whilst a selection of creations in Daks house-check, including sassy separates such as shorts, balconette-bustiers, a thoroughly modern signature-mac and a fabulous floor-length gown, positively demanded attention! Even neutral black became more vivid, due to the fluid movement of sleeveless sweaters and low-slung trousers.

All-in-all, every look was a modern-day classic from this most historic British heritage brand and for aficionados of easy elegance or movie siren-style, Spring/Summer 2014 has the Daks signature written all over it!

©AFROW2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED