SS10 PRESS DAYS: Part Three

A few days ago I had the good fortune of being invited to attend the Paul Smith press day. Having not had the pleasure of attending a leading fashion designer’s showroom before I was very excited to see what it would be like. Upon arriving I noticed that the back wall opposite the reception desk had several framed images and upon questioning I discovered that this photo montage had been created by Sir Paul himself. Like many I used to have one on my bedroom wall when I was a teenager and I continued this through university and it’s something I’d be keen to do again if I were to have a studio space.

As soon as I entered the main showroom space I saw the swimsuit above and instantly smiled as I recognised the print extremely well.

I bought a vintage A-line floral skirt from The Stables in Camden town when I used to work there about 6 years ago, so it was great for me to see this pattern peppered through Sir Paul’s collection– as it means that I am instantly going to be on-trend when I wear it next year.

Strange co-incidences aside I loved that the space was decked out with what looked like an old circus set with old fashioned painted wooden panels which featured everything from playing cards to noir-esque street scenes.

In amongst all this there were also the most beautiful chandeliers (surprisingly I haven’t yet disclosed here my GREAT PASSION for antique chandeliers) which brought a level of decadence to the building and sat well when juxtaposed with Sir Paul’s decadent collection.

Both the mens and womenswear collections were exactly what I had expected. Paul smith’s usual cacophony of bright colour and ethnic inspired pattern didn’t disappoint. Aside from the aforementioned florals other patterns included stripes, check and varying animal prints.

Accessories were bright and bold and had maximum impact. From the stacked sandals to the hot pink clutch there were also a series over over-the-top beaded necklaces which were amazing.

For the boys there were bowler hats in blues and baby pink and an array of brightly coloured woven loafers and brogues. If you look closely at the image below you will also be able to see one of the London Undercover umbrellas which I mentioned in my write up of the Blow press day– how’s that for continuity?!

All in all a great eye-popping collection which made me long for Summer and a higher disposable income so I could buy everything in sight. For now I’ll gladly settle for my cool vintage skirt which genuinely looks as though I picked it straight from the SS10 rack.

SS10 PRESS DAYS: Part Two

Earlier in the week I attended the Replay press day held on the 31st floor of Centre Point. Not really a brand I like or have ever bought product from but there were a couple of things I liked including the view, which was mega. First off I loved this simple and classic black leather jacket with stud detailing on the shoulders.

Whilst quite hideous in its cut I also really liked the ‘idea’ behind the denim jacket pictured below. It had lots of great detailing and embellishment which I think is a great hint to how we can update and embellish our existing wardrobe staples for SS10.

Rather sadly I actually really enjoyed looking at all the racks of jeans and the lovely lady who gave me a tour explained that each pair have a different label to give them all a super-visible uniqueness as no pairs are the same. Thought this was quite interesting as everyone in the western world (at least) lives in and relies upon at least one pair of great jeans and as much as it pains me to say it, pretty much all of the Replay jeans looked really well cut and comfortable, so if you can afford/justify the cost I say go for it!

Check out the views from the top...

On the same day I popped into Dust PR’s press day and saw a few cool clients. One of their best in terms of commercial appeal is Eastpak who seemingly update their ranges every season to great effect. I actually learnt something- which was very interesting- all Eastpak mainline products automatically come with a 35 year guarantee so if you ever have any problems you can bring it into a store and if it can’t be repaired you’ll get a brand new one, for free. I think this is a great service and will definitely inspire me to buy an Eastpak when it comes to getting a new rucksack as it means I’ll only ever need to buy two in my lifetime– what more could you want?!

I quite liked the new leather bags they’ve made but was more interested in their collaboration with London based designer Christopher Shannon. This range of luggage, rucksacks and bum bags (or as the American’s would say fanny packs) are made from PVC and feature grey, turquoise and white colourways.

Barbour was another brand that caught my eye. Long have I been a fan of their traditional waxed jackets worn by everyone from The Queen to Guy Richie to farmers across the land. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the brand manager and being talked through the collection, and discovering that they also made clothes.

Loved the Union Jack jacket, which has been made so beautifully, designed to be low-key and understated in order to fit with the traditional English Barbour ethos.

Another item that I loved was the brown leather weekend bag. Absolutely beautiful.

Last week I popped down to the Agnes B press day and found a few pieces that were worth mentioning for their beautifulness. First off there was an adorable necklace which had a pendant in the shape of a purse, which upon closer inspection actually opens so you can put something special inside. I think it’s absolutely gorgeous and think it’ll be on my birthday list next spring.

Other great items were these chic and classic knickers which I loved and a gorgeous lilac tiered suede skirt which I think will look great next summer as its so versatile and can be worn virtually anywhere.

Lastly I found some great looking bras in orange and blue colourways which featured the same paisley/floral print as matching blouses and shorts, hopefully not to be worn altogether.

Last but by no means least I ventured East and attended the Tea and Cake press day. Whilst there were many great brands on display (too many to mention here) I completely fell in love with one in particular. Next year sees yet another iconic brand celebrate their anniversary, with French brand Lacoste Eyewear turning 30. To mark this achievement they are reissuing their first ever pair of original sunglasses.

What I love about these glasses is their retro aviator frames that were so popular in the eighties and have seen a huge comeback in recent years. I like that rather than having to buy vintage inspired glasses the 101's go one step further to recapture the essence of the real thing. I think it’s a really great thing for brands to do seeing as the past is where everyone is looking for fashion inspiration nowadays, therefore it makes sense to reissue the best iconic pieces rather than trying to redesign them altogether.

The ‘Lacoste 101’ will be extremely limited edition with only 1,000 pairs being produced and astonishingly only 20 pairs will be available in the UK, so you’d better get in there fast. If you’d like to get your hands on a pair head to Dover Street Market or the Lacoste boutiques in Regent Street and Westfield nearer the time.