Tuesday 20 September 2011

LFW Diary SS12: Paul Costelloe

For the inaugural time I attended the first show on schedule at SS12 LFW: Paul Costelloe. A designer I’ve always admired from afar, Costelloe lived up to all my expectations and more. With the photographers vying for the best spot and yelping as the lights went down, the frisson of excitement was electric.
Using the 1962 film What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? as his inspiration, silhouettes were unashamedly 60s. Look after look, voluminous dresses, tunics and skirts were on the money, insinuating a loose hippy and carefree vibe – perfect for those who want to disguise a multitude of sins.
Beginning with a classic and timeless colour palette of stone, grey, beige and cream dozens of looks epitomised Costelloe’s trademark vintage Parisian chic aesthetic. Short flirtatious dresses in a variety of frilly silks, linens and cottons skimmed the bum cheeks and are certainly marketed at only the very brave.

With crushed silk, brocades and pastel tablecloth-style fabrics, the collection clicked into first gear towards the end, with a taste of Arabia coming through in rose and mint shades. Military pleats and superior hand-detailing stole the show, with a mixture of dapper male models (some in pink linen overcoats) adding a certain je ne sais quoi to the proceedings. To sum up, I’d describe the SS12 offering as luxurious, with a touch of ‘New Romantic frivolity’.

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