London Fashion Week - Christian Blanken S/S 12

Yesterday I popped along to see the collection of Dutch designer Christian Blanken at the small but perfectly formed Portico rooms at Somerset House. Blanken is well known for the luxury sportswear that is his signature and is the style that brought his designs to the attention of the fashion world.



This particular collection stays true to this style but takes it a step further with lots of layers, ruching and draping utilising materials such as leather, suede, viscose. The collection includes tailored trousers, fitted shirts and luxurious dresses.







His attention to detail is immense and its these little details that are the making of this collection. The designs are wearable, luxe but with a distinct urban edge. The colour palette is made up of black, off white and grey with touches of purple, burgundy and pink. Embroidery, beading and graphic prints help to make this collection a stand out collection in my eyes.

Glamorous, luxe and undeniably beautiful the collection exudes an air of modern sophistication.

This collection would make the perfect capsule wardrobe for any confident, self assured woman that loves fashion but isn't a slave to trends. Blanken's designs hug the female form in all the right places. Bravo!

London Fashion Week - Michael Van Der Ham S/S 12

Monday afternoon saw me again trekking along to the old eurostar terminal to see the show of Topshop Newgen designer Michael Van Der Ham. If your a regular reader you'll remember how in love I am with this ingenious designer and his particular brand of fusing patterns and textures to create unique and captivating clothing.

This time around the designs were more subtle, delicate and wearable. I loved how the venue for the show created its own kind of contrast with the clothing. The location was rooted in concrete giving it a hard edge while Van Der Ham's designs were softly spoken masterpieces in a pastel colour palette which has been a key trend running through the S/S shows.

















Contrast is a theme in Van Der Ham's work. But gone were the contrasting textures evident in previous collections to be replaced by contrasting patterns which is what makes this collection utterly wearable. These designs were feminine to their core. Empire line dresses, cinched in waists, cap and flared sleeves all featured here. Long sweeping sleeves contrasted against mini like skirts. Maxi dresses with a cap sleeve on one side and no sleeve on the other. This collection is trademark Van Der Ham but inb a more subtle, restrained manner.

Navy blues, sherbert yellows, blacks. white. lilacs and dusty pinks make for a vivid colour scheme and worked well together. The pieces were both fitted and oversized, feminine but with a subtle toughness. Van Der Ham collections are all about contrast. There is one thing I know for sure I wanna live in Michael Van Der Ham's crazy, contrasting but adorable world.

London Fashion Week - Topshop Unique S/S12

Today the old eurostar terminal came alive as the fashion and celebrity worlds descended on the venue for Topshop Unique's S/S 2012 show. Ever since my invite dropped through the letterbox I've been excited. Of all the invites I received this one was the most highly anticipated. Anna Wintour, Ellie Goulding, Eliza Dolittle, Susie Lau, Scott Schulman, Jennine of The Coveted, Kelis and Rumi Neely were just a selection of the big names in attendance.

 

I had sky high hopes for the collection as last season's was so spectacular and it certainly didn't disappoint. The collection takes inspiration from Ancient Egypt and the Cleopatra era and it's clear from both the gilded hues and the intricate patterns. Decadent golds, whites and blacks run throughout the collection and the prints are bold, intricate and abstract with a modern edge.

Streetwear and Sportswear are key trends here but with a Topshop twist. This isn't your run of the mill streetwear/sportswear - it's entirely design led and the attention to detail is magnificent. Much to my surprise the Egyptian design direction fuses well with streetwear & sportswear.

My stand out pieces were the luxe gold metallic knitwear, the bold and beautiful swimwear, the new take on the bodycon dress and the abstract print knitwear.

This is my favorite collection of the season so far so all that's left to say is - Topshop Unique I salute you!

London Fashion Week - Masha Ma SS12

Masha Ma showed at 10.30am on the Saturday and judging by the half empty venue it was just too early for some but it did mean that I got to sit nearer the front so I managed to get a lot of good photos - yay!

Masha Ma loves to explore the feminine form and it is evident in the designs. This particular collection was inspired by the Chateau of Versailles. Masha Ma loves to combine architecture and fashion to create a unique and artistic looking collection. She fuses London fashion with French elegance in a way that I've never seen before. The designs were edgy but feminine, hard but soft. This designer relishes the contrasts in life and her designs are built around this.



 

















The colour palette included white, black, navy blue and softer pastel colours as evidenced in a lot of the other LFW shows. It seems pastels are the colours to be wearing next season.

Masha Ma designs utilise the finest materials that are often delicate in nature. Handwoven lace, thin wool, stain, twill, tulle and Georgette are used to create a stunning collection. Masha Ma is the perfect collection for the self assured, ballsy, strong modern woman who craves femininity but on her own terms.

 

 

London Fashion Week - Ashley Isham S/S 2012

Hi there!
My name is Elle and I'm writing on All These Pretty things today because the lovely Faye was overloaded with London Fashion Week invitations, and so I was lucky enough to attend the Ashley Isham Spring/Summer 2012 show on her behalf. The Singapore-born, London-based Isham's signature draping and feminine silhouettes have made him a favourite amongst celebrities; with his designs being worn by the likes of Christina Aguilera, Kylie Minogue, Florence Welch and Lady Gaga.

My expectations were high and I was far from disappointed; every piece was draped and shaped to perfection - feminine, flattering and exquisite. The opulence of the late baroque period, named as one of Isham's inspirations for the collection, was evident in the ornate laser-cut gold leather adorning the waists and necklines of the models, and was underscored by the unusual choice of music; a Rococo-period piece that set a mood of extravagance.
The first few dresses were simple yet stunning: draped, twisted, unstructured and elegant, in colours resembling precious jewels: amethyst, sapphire, magenta and gold, and the ornate flower-laden headpieces and dramatic white bridal veils added to the elegance and luxury of the dresses.
Suddenly, the music changed and so did the designs; the fabric flowed more freely, butterfly, blossom and paisley prints replaced solid colours and tribal tattoos appeared on the models' foreheads. The looks became more modern but also somehow reminiscent of a bygone era; an era where intricate details were considered a necessity.

 

 

 

 

 

The hair was also fabulous; as we've seen on so many of the S/S12 runways, frizzy tresses flowed, tamed only by miniature corn-rows at the front.

I really loved the entire Ashley Isham Spring/Summer 2012 collection and would gladly wear any of the pieces myself. My favourite look was a pink paisley maxi dress with a chunky gold neckline...just breathtaking! The show finished with a burst of gold glitter from above and rowdy applause from all around.

Thanks again Faye for giving me the opportunity to enjoy this show! I can't wait to see the shows you've been to!

- www.ellecroft.com -
Twitter: @elle_croft
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Fashism blog

London Fashion Week - Paul Costelloe S/S 2012

Fashion veteran Paul Costelloe kicked off this seasons London Fashion Week with the first show on the schedule. The collection had a strong dose of femininity and sweetness but in a truly elegant manner. Dresses and skirts had a distinctive 60s influence due mostly to the cut and silhouette of the pieces.

The colour palette included muted tones with signature colours of mint green and coral along with wide black and white stripes. Romantic overtones were evident with ruffles, pleats and luxurious embossed fabrics.

 









2011 trends have centred around the 50s and 70s but judging by Paul Costelloe's show 2012 is all about the swinging sixties. Skirts and dresses are getting shorter and necklines are rising - no plunging cleavage here!

Costelloe seems to really understand the curves and shape of a woman's body and it is evident in the flattering cut of the pieces in the collection.

If this is what we can expect for next season, roll on Spring 2012!