Autumn/Winter 17 Fashion Week Favourites
This Autumn/Winter 17 season wrapped in Paris last week and was a collective triumph of colour, of craftsmanship and strong tailoring with a good dose of bravado. An overall feeling of decadence mixed with a steely resolve, perhaps a result or backlash to world political unrest in the west. There was much to inspire, and much to covet, from the very wearable shapes of Victoria Beckham in NYC, to the maximalist fantasy of Gucci in Milan, to feminine delicacies at Temperley in London to an homage to the 60’s and 70’s from Chloe in Paris. Here are some highlights from some of our favourite shows of each city….
In New York, Victoria Beckham sent out a collection that was very British in sensibility – gentlemanly looks featuring checks and painterly prints with a masculine palette of navy, grey and maroon, given a fresh wake-up from a saturated fuschia. Sheer shirting in relaxed shapes was paired with loose skirts and smart tailored jackets. Luxurious sweaters paired with mid-length skirts and chic accessories including similarly-toned knee high boots and the bag of the season – a box-shaped chic affair inspired by a cosmetics case. An infinitely wearable collection and a restrained touch which the designer is, somewhat surprisingly, becoming known for.
In London, it was hard to go past the whimsical femininity and classic Britsh eccentricity of Temperley – a coshesive collection inspired by seafaring tales of exquisite detail on perfectly cut shapes with delicate fabrics. Beautiful dresses with a victorian feel contrasting with high-waisted trousers complete with braces… the collection ‘tied’ together with a black velvet ribbon draped around high collars. Temperley’s signature symmetrical prints were also present, in rich plum, cobalt and rose colourways, which added a beautiful and striking dimension to traditional silhouettes.
Two years after Alessandro Michele’s Gucci debut and he is still producing completely mad collections that somehow translate into queues and sell-outs and waiting lists. This collection was as fanciful and decorative as ever but with a stronger and possibly darker undertone. The first Gucci show to fully combine men’s and women’s wear simultaneously, so not only were there over 110 looks but on every look, an entirely maximalist layering of bonkers brilliance. Chain mail masks, men in heels, snakeskin, flannel shirts, lots of lurex and granny-chic. On one look alone there’s evidence of a checked jacket with a floral print ruffled maxi skirt, padlocked belt, silk scarf print T-shirt, crystal sandals slipped inside painted socks, embellished bag, Japanese parasol, cow head knuckle dusters and nose rings…
Paris saw the finale of designer Claire Weight Kellar’s reign as head designer of Chloé and she described the show as “the Chloé girl escaping down the rabbit hole of decades”. The Chloe girl has always had a 70s bohemian vibe but this collection saw a heady mix of 60’s shapes and 7o’s silhouettes with a strong palette of red, mustards, some familiar white lace of course, and a wonderful red cut-out heart too… Billowing sleeves in the casual flannels and checked jackets mixed with some delicate sheer dresses in retro prints, lace and adorened with loose bows. We want to go down the rabbit hole too…
Credits: British Vogue
