Kipling come up trumps for SS11

Yesterday I was kindly invited to Surgery PR’s HQ to preview the new SS11 collection by Kipling. Revered for their eclectic range of sport-luxe bags in a variety of eye-popping prints and block colours, Kipling are perhaps now better known for the iconic and cute Kipling monkey which gets a classy revamp each season.

Designed with the girl-about-town and festival goers in mind, the SS11 collection plays to its biggest strengths; featuring bags with lots of cunning attention to detail, including padded pockets to store valuables such as digital cameras, and cool pockets to keep your drink of choice on ice. Having seemingly thought of everything a woman could possibly want, lots of goodies on display caught my eye, in particular the mesmerising Scuba print (pictured below), which is available in a plethora of across the body bags, totes and holdalls.

Taking inspiration for the colour palette from earthy tones and fresh watercolours, the soft leather wet-look bags are perfect for adding bright splashes of colour to an otherwise drab outfit. As we all know the newly vintage 90’s are making a come-back so what better way to reflect that than by creating the Magali utility bum bag – an acquired taste on paper, a rather practical solution in reality.

Taking their lead from the amazing success of their collaboration for AW10, Kipling have once again collaborated on a capsule collection with the BFC/Elle Emerging Talent Award winners Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos. Embracing a youthful and retro vibe, the SS11 collection sees a Milky Way print perfectly marrying the aesthetics of both visionary brands, re-working styles from Kiping’s basic collection and re-introducing the mighty duffle bag.

"The desire for unique shapes and colour combinations pushed this collaborative project further for SS11. Our thoughts of the intergalactic traveller, or otherworldly nomad, exploring and discovering continued as inspiration for the collection. With this nomad in mind we looked further into prints that also captured a key element frequently present in our inspiration, the reflection of light. The result, some of our favourite galaxy prints interpreting beams of light made from Nebulas. Mixing these prints with interesting shapes and colour combinations unique to the collaboration was a key objective." Peter Pilotto

LFW Diary SS11 Highlights: NEWGEN Exhibition

Each season I greatly look forward to visiting the Topshop/NEWGEN area due to the wealth of talent that is represented, with SS11 being the best I've seen to date. With each designer granted their own little white beach hut come shed situated on the terrace, both myself and some of the designers I spoke to loved the fact that you could enter stand-alone spaces that they could really make their own.

One of my favourite experimental designers is Louise Gray, due to her fearless combination of knitwear and kitsch. A renowned hoarder (a woman after my own heart), Gray's designs are a melting pot of ideas and inspirations, making something altogether unique.  

 

Another designer whom I greatly admire for her individuality is Holly Fulton who I feel has revolutionised Art Deco inspired jewellery, utilising lazer-cut perspex to great effect, translating her eyecatching prints and illustrations to fabric seamlessly. I particlularly like Fulton as she is not afraid to experiment with colour.

 Another designer whom I greatly admire is Fannie Schiavoni who I think produces the most unique pieces of costume jewellery which look simply stunning in photoshoots.

 

 I loved these Grazia puppy balloons that made appearances throughout LFW - hilarious.

A long term favourite, I was really excited to see Yang Du's presentation space, which was brimming with colour and kitsch print and emblems which never fail to remind me of my youth.

 

Peter Pilotto is yet another firm favourite who always triumphs in his quest to make beautiful garments that women love to wear - yet another designer who is on my wishlist.  

 

A designer I was not fasmiliar with until I wondered through the exhibition, I absolutely loved Felicity Brown's pieces, especially as the fringing and tie-dye really summed up the aesthetic for SS11.

  My favourite ethical designer, Christopher Raeburn was also representing another inspired collection created from re-appropriated military and parachute fabric.

 

London Fashion Week exhibitions: British Fashion Council Topshop Newgen

This week I've been feeling slightly racked with guilt that its taken me so long to finish all of my London Fashion Week related posts... no excuses... Must do better!!! Without any futher delay I hope you enjoy the plethora of images I took of the static exhibitions within Somerset House. There were way too many amazing designers exhibiting their wares, that I don't really think my limited words will do them the justice they deserve... bring on the press days when I can explore everything in much more detail and pay proper tribute to. No words neccessary...