London Fashion Week 2006
William Tempest reports on the key looks for Spring/Summer 2006
Giles
When it comes to London’s latest hip fashion phenomena, no expense is spared as Giles Deacon shows his Spring/Summer 06 collection in High Holborns extravagant Freemasons HQ. As per usual Giles brought all the top supermodels to London this September with Linda Evangelista opening his show looking stunning in an ivory satin shift dress. Stella Tennant following closely behind wearing a pinstripe jacket and skirt with slouchy puff pockets - a detail repeated throughout the collection.
The look was of true classic glamour in the most beautiful fabrics. Heavy satin dominated the tailoring in shades of taupe, mint green and black. Skirts either A-line, pleated or bell shaped were teamed with beaded gabardine corsets and crisp white shirts with oversized collars offered a less daring alternative. Chiffon a must for the spring/summer collections came here in peachy strapless numbers and grey full-length gowns. Black was clearly the ideal for eveningwear with dresses covered in beaded black baubles and sparkly bead fringing. To finish it all off Miss Evangelista strutted her stuff once more as she wore an oversized ivory ball gown with complimentary black satin sash.
Robert Cary Williams
Robert Cary Williams maintains his reputation as a modern artist working on the canvas of the human form. His Spring/Summer collection came in a whirlwind of muted hues - browns, creams and khaki greens as the models walk out onto a catwalk of doors! Roberts obsession with all things military comes through yet again this season as we again witness the usual burnt, ripped and generally distressed all over fabrics we have seen so many times before.
Military aside the clothes themselves are cut with acute attention to proportion, just enough flesh is shown to be flattering yet revealing and curves are created in all the right places. Notably there were some very inspiring creations, a bell shaped dress made from chicken wire holding real life taxidermy starlings and then a very snug fitting dress adorned with rustic chains, wire and dirty rope. One quirky detail on an aged sweater were the shoulder pads which were covered in toy shoulders - again highlighting his military perfection.
Accessories included unpleasant knuckledusters were worn by both the boys and girls - and the men’s shoes, beautifully simple in soft silver, were to die for.
Jasper Conran
The scene is set, a Sicilian street bedecked with washing lines pegged in underwear as Mr. Conran’s models walk out in stark shades of black and white. The look is of simple refined chic where models wear pencils skirts in raw silk, tight fitting knits, crisp men’s style shirts and silk taffeta dresses.
His skirts this season are interesting creations, one beautiful skirt appears ‘pencil line’ from the front yet has fullness at the back, others feature miniature bustles, which is a detail continued into the dresses. The focus is clearly on clean shapes with sharp lines and hints of soft tailoring. Going into eveningwear there is a grey strapless dress with pin tucks around the bodice and a series of taffeta dresses, which stand out in colours of rust, dirty green and soft blue. Not to mention the many white dresses, which are quite suitable for a summer day or evening teamed with their matching cropped jackets.
Watch out for the rustic wicca chicken handbags - a must for any fashion conscious Sicilian!
Basso and Brooke
The first ever winners of Fashion Fringe did not disappoint this season as an explosion of drama, carnival and colour burst out onto the catwalk! Opening with a theatrical spray from a gigantic ‘Elnett’ aerosol, gigantic hats, net skirts and technicolour prints strutted down the catwalk.
The fairytale collection entitled ‘ Vanity Affair’ took inspiration from housewives “for whom bridge parties and coffee mornings have been superceded by pills and pitchers of cocktails before noon.” There were prints galore – ranging from prom girls, violins, lipstick and cartoons and caricature - definitely not for the fashion timid! Printed leggings were teamed with kimono style blouses and dresses with full skirts featured exposed tulle.
At first the collection might seem quite impractical, however certain garments are quite the opposite - the multitude of bold prints making the garments appear more shocking. There were many simple dresses, trousers and blouses which will inject a splash of colour into any fashionista’s wardrobe.
Accessories included many eccentric hats - most notably a wonderful keyboard hat and various cornet creations by Stephen Jones. Then there were matching printed gloves, keyboard belts and fabulous frilled socks. John Galliano beware!
