The collection had warrior-esque inspired feel I thought with flat lace up, knee high boots and also the combination of textures such as chain of pearls that detailed around dress was like an armour shield. Garments had frayed edges, netted layered skirts and detail guillotine style cuts in fabric.
Conversely statement dresses were baroque inspired with bejewelled nude figure hugging maxi dresses and jewelled nude cycling shorts layered under dress.
The collection for SS13 was lavish, opulent and strong by use of different textures all combining in reacting layers to one another giving the garments movement and three dimensional structured look.It had Stepford wife 1950s feel to the collection models with plastic doll like faces shining, blue eye shadow to the eyebrow, purple rinse hair and beehive grey wigs with rolls at front and tucked underneath at back of head. Beauty was made ugly, the new ugly fashion with hair nets and wide brimmed pointed glasses.
The accessories were heralding back to days when women were ladies lace and satin elbow length gloves, and hats not masculine bowler or flat caps but dainty boater hat style and sculpturally placed small brim hats. Not forgetting pearls the quintessential lady accessory they were large and long chain necklaces.
Some of my favourite looks were pyjama striped shirt dress, sharp off shoulder cut wraparound dress in soft coloured splattered print and the 50s swimsuits perfectly cut for the classic dream silhouette. There was a nod to Westwood slogan print 90s days when back of t-shirt read ‘Climate Revolution’ which then materialised into intended message when Vivienne Westwood at end of show came out followed by two army clad slogan models, her dress unravelled to a large banner which was held by models with ‘Climate Revolution’ on and Westwood wore baroque inspired helmet highlighting the fights against climate control.
The extremes of the collection highlighted 50s repression, climate control and ugly as beauty.
The collection had a formalist approach, linear lines, block colour and pattern print with contrasting colour alignment. Shirts were button up collared two tone affairs the top was either a block colour or print and bottom half plain white, they looked crisp with a subtle twist on the conventional tailored shirt. The two tone was also on loose fitting v neck dresses the colour reached triangular point on dress and white around. Quirky differences to the tailored look came with the blazer having contrasting coloured lapels of white and black, also contrasting coloured arms.
The use of colour came in pop art bursts with varying stages of red and yellow in geometric square print dress. Lower half of shirt sleeves were dip dyed, I liked how the white shirt became reconstructured for younger audience by simple colour play.
The collection has inspiration from the classicism of the white shirt and line detail, giving modern sharp lines a dash with bold colouring. SS13-: Inspired by world history, global exploration and guilloche pattern play.
It was all about the print beautiful scenic snap shots of historic landmarks printed upon full flowing lampshade dresses. The mix of print, structured shape and ornate detailing made the garments appeal ethereal in their design and metallic shine added three dimensional movements.
Sleeves were varied wide brimmed lampshade cut offs, concave to the body and hiding within the dress. The use of colours was varied they were soft palette though no brash or bold colouring but subdued and carefully mixed. The sculptured designs such as tube panelled dress seemed to protrude out at the top giving precise lines. Which was also seen on pleated maxi dress the lines were perpendicular to one another in minute detail, the dress appeared to glisten between the pleats.
I loved this collection it was ornate, modern, varied colours and the lines mixed with print were striking.