Yesterday I was thrilled to be invited along to the SS10 Alexander McQueen press day and was so excited that I made this my first port of call. Held in the heart of Soho, as I entered what stood out most was the surprisingly dark colour palette. I absolutely loved the juxtaposition of soft feminine silks and cottons with black leathers and denim.
I had three favourite pieces in total the first of which was the blue and white denim jacket called ‘Broken Glasses’. Whilst I wasn’t overly keen on the white pattern I loved the gold thread and the side zip detail and especially loved the puff sleeves which I felt defined the structure of the jacket perfectly. 
My second favourite item was a distressed looking two tone leather biker jacket which had stud detailing down the length of the sleeves and several zips and pockets all over. I liked that it had been given extra details in order for it to stand out from all the other designers who make a leather jacket every season. One such detail was the white colour that had been applied to both the lapels of the jacket and the belt giving it a modern feel. Only available as made to order for me this jacket epitomised Alexander McQueen’s status as the rebel of British fashion.
Finally the third item that really caught my eye was a soft denim waistcoat which had been given detachable cotton sleeves that could be removed by unzipping them. I thought this was genius and that the design was flawless as it was so beautifully constructed and I felt that the luxurious fabrics used really complemented each other as it was really rich denim that you wouldn’t expect your average jeans to be made from.
The next press day on my list was that of Aqua and ML PRs. Held within the Groucho I unfortunately only found a few items of merit. Starting on the top floor at the Aqua press day I found only one brand I liked which was Hetty + Dave who had a great range of brooches.
Downstairs at ML PR there were a few designers who caught my eye such as a lingerie brand whose name I don’t remember who created a beautiful two tone night dress created from bra straps. I thought this was really innovative and something I would wear 100%.
What I liked so much about it was that it reminded me slightly of the bandage technique used by Hervé Ledger and made me wonder if you could get away with wearing it as outerwear. I’d certainly give it a try with thick black leggings and boots to toughen it up.
The only other brand I saw that I thought ‘wow, this is cool’ was Birdy Num Num Vintage who have one of the most obscure names I’ve ever heard of. What I liked about Birdy Num Num Vintage was the fact that they work to source and restore old and disrepaired vintage accessories.
I loved the great selection of snakeskin evening bags and clutches on display, some of which were antique and lovingly restored to their former glory. Other great items showcased were the most beautiful compacts from a variety of decades all available at really reasonable price points and a great way of evoking some old school glamour.
The last stop of the day was that of the Estethica press day held within the opulent Mayfair Hotel. With many ethical designers showcasing this was a rare opportunity to uncover new and emerging designer’s whist celebrating the best in British talent. The first designer I came across was the lovely Ada Zanditon whose work I discovered recently whilst writing an article about the Ethical Fashion Show at the recent Paris Fashion Week. What I love most about Ada’s designs is the beautiful fabrics and simple colour palette running throughout her collection of navy, red and white.
Among her many talents I love the sculptural element to her work which brings the garments to life even when on the hanger. I loved the delicate yet strong pleating that went into the top below and after inspecting the garments up close I would certainly love to wear them.
Two of my favourite pieces were the highly wearable linen shift dresses in red and navy. They’re chic, simple and versatile in that they can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.
Another designer who I loved was Henrietta Ludgate whom I’d met recently at her individual press day. What I loved most about Henrietta’s designs (in addition to her brilliantly warm personality) was the high quality of both the British sourced fabrics and superior cut. I absolutely love the simplicity of her colour palette and clean lines, with beautiful details such as the soft three dimensional padded collars and sleeve cuffs– simply wonderful.
Other great designers I saw were Mark Liu whose layered laser cut linen dresses were delightful and I can only imagine that they will be flying off the shelves next summer.
Christopher Raeburn was of course a firm favourite of everyone in attendance due to his sheer collection of reinvented and recycled waterproofs made from parachute material.
Lastly the Environmental Justice Foundation stand caught my eye due to their high profile T-shirt range which saw many famed collaborators including Luella, Giles Deacon, Zandra Rhodes, Betty Jackson, Christian Lacroix and Alice Temperley to name but a few. Created for an undeniably good cause (to raise awareness of forced child labour and environmental abuses in cotton production) this capsule collection is sure to fly off the shelves next year.
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