LFW SS11 Diary: Osman – The one that got away

As those who follow me on Twitter will know, several dozen people with seated tickets for Osman got turned away on Saturday due to overcapacity and double booking – no comment there. I wasn’t going to write anything about it as I was gutted – it being the show I most wanted to see – however I couldn’t resist having a peek.

Showing at the BFC tent literally five years after his LFW debut, Osman Yousefzada‘s SS11 offering was a pared down affair in comparison to previous collections and actually seemed a little lacklustre, as for me it didn’t have the wow factor that I’ve seen at many other shows in London, so far this season. Still exuding the same luxury, juxtaposing fabrics and Osman’s signature style, I particularly liked the simplicity and minimalism evident in the tailored dresses and jackets. The colour palette was interesting too, following the spring trend for pastels, in particular pistachio and lemon sorbet – my key word for the season it would seem. As a navy blue obsessive, I loved that in parts it underpinned the collection, adding a stark contrast to the paler and floatier fabrics, adding a sense of gravity and depth to an otherwise flat collection.

LFW SS11 Diary: Lako Bukia

Rather excitingly yesterday saw the inaugural catwalk show at Vauxhall Fashion Scout for Lako Bukia. Having followed her career for the past few seasons and attending her AW10 Fashion Mavericks show, I was happy to see Bukia take to a larger stage, as she has more than enough talent to fill it.

As the show was running slightly behind schedule I had a look in the exhibition upstairs (details to follow soon) and headed back to the catwalk space only to resume queuing behind none other than Janice Dickinson (search Twitter for my unkind comments about her appearance). So with Janice in the front row I was expecting great things and was far from disappointed – especially after seeing Bukia’s trademark shoes.

Inspired by Soviet Union architecture, and particularly the block buildings which remain in her native Georgia, Bukia’s SS11 collection, Surati is dedicated to Georgian culture and religion, with a beautiful and ethereal colour palette taken from the cityscapes’ soft hues of grey, teal and pink. To create her unrivalled fusion of softness and structure Bukia uses a plethora of bountiful and fluid fabrics: organza, silk, satin, crepe, chiffon, georgette and cotton to great effect, utilising draping and pleating techniques to create sleek and modern silhouettes that are overtly feminine and easily wearable.

With the main emphasis on strong and angular shoulder lines, silhouettes were dramatized with pointy triangles creating a striking futuristic balance between strength and fragility. Key garments were beautifully constructed drop waisted dresses and voluminous maxis. In terms of hair and make-up, intriguing buns whereby the ponytail is doubled over at the front were present creating a superficial fringe by way of a Croydon facelift.

LFW SS11 Diary: Cooperative Designs

Held within the Soho Rooms of Groucho private social club, the chabby-chic yet opulent venue was the perfect setting for the Cooperative Designs presentation yesterday afternoon. Packed to the rafter’s guests sipped champagne and tasted mini baked delights whilst viewing the Bollywood Babylon collection.

Designed by duo Annalisa Dunn and Dorothee Hagemann, the presentation comprised of six models of differing ages wearing items from the SS11 collection in a perfectly styled frieze, chatting happily and posing whilst one expertly played the piano barefoot. A vision straight from the 1920’s, the atmosphere and set designed by David White was reminiscent of the era’s speakeasy’s and triggered visions of silent movies and the era’s emerging celebrities; The Bright Young Things*.

Inspired by an imaginary film set in a fantasy colonial bar in India in the 1920’s, the faux Art Deco setting perfectly complimented the secondary inspiration - imagery from Kenneth Anger’s Hollywood Babylon – depicting the scandals, glamour and debauchery of the 1920’s film industry.

A fantastic presentation, perfectly executed with such acute attention to detail - from the Marcel wave hair to the heavily made up eyes and lips – that makes me want to run out and dress like the Cooperative Designs take on a modern day flapper.

* Bright Young People was penned as a nickname by the tabloid press, for a group of young aristocrats, bohemians and socialites who emerged into the public domain during 1920’s London. Immortalised in Evelyn Waugh’s 1930 novel, Vile Bodies, the Bright Young People threw elaborate parties and inspired a generation of writers, including Waugh’s protagonist Adam Fenwick-Symes who wrote an exposé novel about his contemporaries entitled Bright Young Things. Over eighty years later the term has stuck in the public’s stream of consciousness and is frequently adopted to describe emerging talents within the arts. Check out me, the geek!

LFW SS11 Diary: Eley Kishimoto

Living by the maxim ‘Print the World’, Eley Kishimoto have since the early 1990’s strived to create works that exhibit clear intention, simple execution, with a unique creative flair that rejects passing trends and fads. Famed for their unique print design aesthetic, their Shoreditch presentation, Flash On Week united all the products and collaborations that they have branded with their simple Flash logo.

Aside from their fashion collections, Eley Kishimoto have utilised their prints on a variety of different products: wallpaper, furniture, fabrics, soft furnishings, glassware and crockery. This springboard led to more industrial based design work in the automotive, architectural and electronics spheres, whilst collaborating with individual artists and galleries – approaching new design challenges as a platform from which to communicate to a wider and more varied audience.

Creating a high impact, the Bateman’s Row warehouse-style space was filled with lots of fantastic products. Incase is a product created to protect the technology that is essential to our lives. Other collaborations include Belgian gold ale brand Duvel (who were incidentally the event’s drink sponsor), BMW Motorrad, Cinelli bikes, Noble Macmillan, Orlebar Brown beach and swim shorts.

With the Flash project becoming a self-confessed obsession, Flash On Week is held in association with London Fashion Week, The London Design Festival and The Anti Design Festival. Flash On Week is an intriguing twist in the continuing story of the shape-shifters of the print world, and long may it continue.

LFW SS11 Diary: Jacob Kimmie

Situated a stone’s throw from Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s base of operation Freemasons Hall, South African born designer Jacob Kimmie previewed his SS11 collection entitled, Eternal Delight to a full house at The Studio. Taking his title from William Blake, Eternal Delight is a collection brimming with attitude and uncompromising vision.

Introducing menswear into his collection for the first time, Kimmie has expertly created a futuristic range of sleek masculine neo-tailoring, including the most exciting piece on display; The New David, which refers to the garment specially created for a model born with a congenital disability, encasing his left arm in an all white concept body piece. I thought this piece was absolutely fantastic and I loved that David had been recognised with a creation custom-made for his body. He looked great and if he wasn’t modelling I would have loved to talk to him as he is going to have a hugely successful career (you heard it here first).

Present throughout the collection were a combination of subtle and extravagant beautifully intricate futuristic cuffs and collars made from lazer-cut paper in black, white and electric blue colourways, which added to the impact of Kimmie’s firm and striking collection.

Aimed at women who want their wardrobes to reflect their personality rather than stereotypes, Kimmie says of his collection: “This [collection] is the antidote to the caricaturised view of women. It’s a collection of clothes for women to claim back individuality and sexiness.”

LFW SS11 Diary: Eun Jeong

Whilst I’ve clearly heard of Eun Jeong in connection with Fashion Fringe and have borrowed pieces for photoshoots previously, I’ve never seen or heard a peep from her at LFW, so on Friday I was pleased as punch to take time out to mosey up to Covent Garden to view her striking SS11 presentation. Situated way up on the 5th floor of Russell Chambers on the Piazza, the hike up several flights of stairs was well worth it – not of course forgetting the leg toning it provided.

Comma Portrait, Jeong’s SS11 offering, was awash with pastels: nude, rose, purple and lime green – reminding me of delicate and delicious Italian gelatos and sorbets. Black was also present in the form of more traditional eveningwear pieces, diluted and brought back to summer with the addition of white and nude jersey panelling and coloured digital print trimmings.

Split into three small rooms; there was an installation of static garments on mannequins; the main room where four models posed around all things wooden, from hand-carved wooden chairs perched on palettes to antique chests of drawers, apothecary tables and cabinets, footstools and ladders; and the final room which showed a short film on a loop and was entirely kitted out white, displaying the most intricate lace pieces and tailored jackets. Laid out like a mad dressing room, there were metres of lace strewn across the floor, with shoes in boxes, dressing screens and a television on a desk in the corner, much like any home, but with an interesting and serenely quirky twist.

What I loved most about both the presentation and the collection was the playfulness and originality in both the display and garments, utilising a wealth of fabrics from canvas and crinoline to jersey and silk; expertly draping, folding, pinning and cutting in what I would describe as unexpected places (think side panels and open collars and exposed waists).

By a mile, one of my favourite collections of the season so far, brimming with character, colour and most of all saleability – and of course for a magpie like me all of the vintage accessories and furnishings only helped it make me squeal with delight!