Victoria Beckham FW16

I have always admired the work of Victoria Beckham. She may be one of the only celebrities turned designers to actually produce an increasingly successful brand and at the same time own a seamless aesthetic. Minimalist and conceptual are two words that perfectly describe the distinct nature of her modern approach to creating.
Season after season, Victoria tailors her own personal style to her global clientele who adore the house's luxurious refinement. Her flattering proportions and sleek silhouettes are adored by many and it's true to say that she makes clothing that women want to and can wear, despite the seemingly costly price tag.

"This collection is really about the evolution of my personal style," said Victoria when describing her fall/winter 2016 collection. 
The show was more of a retrospective celebration of the brand's modernistic DNA. I felt we saw her take a step up from the minimalism normally associated with VB and accentuate bijou details as seen in the past that were never fully developed. Take the slip dresses for example, keeping the V neck yet spreading the hem-line out below the hip- almost forming a bubble.

Also corsetry made a comeback, (seen on Victoria during the Spice Girls days) re-worked into a series of daytime looks. One being the skin-tight tonal jersey dress with a corset intertwined into the main body of the fabric, perhaps giving off an amplified meaning of sophisticated luxe? The cut-out bustier which sat neatly on top of a bias-cut skirt or high rise trousers also deemed exceedingly popular.

 cut-out bustier

 

My preferred pieces included: the tailored overcoats in heritage tweeds, the disproportioned 'clutch' coat- a go to when you're having a lazy day and lastly, the stripy ribbed knits layered over one another; mirroring the athletic trend which New York Fashion Week is famous for.

 the 'clutch' coat



Overcoats in tweed

Please Note: I do not own any of these images, courtesy of wwd.com & Vogue.co.uk

Trending Fall 2015- Brisk Boho

70s Bohemia was the defining aesthetic brought to us by designers this new Fall season. We saw Christopher Bailey at Burberry produce a British Boho Burberry girl, comprising of patchwork, fringing, whimsical folk dresses coated in embellished florals and paisleys.

 

 

 

Lanvin's Alber Elbaz combined his Moroccan roots with the Lanvin archive, creating a raw sophistication. It was dark, texturally complex (fur, goat hair, snakeskin yokes, leather harnesses, embellishments), but at the same time screamed luxury.

 

 

                                        

 

Others labels such as: Etro, Dsquared and Dries Van Noten all formed an embodiment of  boho beauties or Aztec princesses. Laid down in front of us:- printed ponchos, gauzy gowns and earth-inspired hues, all spiced up with a generous handful of eclectic ethnicity.   

 

 

                                      Etro

 

Another trend, relating closely to the boho chic was a gypsy, medieval revival. Think Esmerelda from The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Gypsy dresses covered in quaint waistcoats, suede tunics draped in strips of fringe and,lastly, flowing patchwork skirts in all manners of textures (seen at Chloé). With gypsy boho, one can have the freedom to experiment- there is no conformity in this trend, it's all about that element of  uniqueness.

 

 

                                      Chloe

                          Picture Courtesy of Style.com

Balmain Fall 2015 PFW

I have always admired Olivier Rousteing's work for Balmain. He knows how to dress women and make them look young, edgy yet totally glamorous. Glamour was the main theme at Balmain today, a long side the hype which surrounded Queen Kim Kardashian and her new platinum locks.

It is safe to say that every piece in the collection, Kim would wear or has already worn in some incarnation. From the billowing pleated skirts to the tight-fitting bandeau tops submerged under a sheer chiffon day dress. She was the muse for the entire collection and we all knew that.

We had a sense of opulence; perhaps the vintage-toned riche colour palette, consisting of the most luxurious colours- metallic mustard, a bronzey orange, forest green and fiery fuchsia.
The iridescent fabrics were a marvel, especially in pleats. We had the most volumizing balloon trousers which sat below a tailored blazer.

It was out with the 80s (last season) and in with the 70s- well,  as much as possible. Flares were still a big feature throughout: saw in lace, pleats and with 10x added volume.  In the last half of the collection, lighter than light chiffon jumpsuits in all manner of prints (florals in particular) graced the scene- contrasting to the fierce, strong and seductive woman as seen in the first segment.

The casting for the show screamed sass. Victoria Secret Angels left right and centre: Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima, Karlie Kloss; combined with the model greats of the moment, Jourdan Dunn, Lily Donaldson, Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid. It was evident why he chose these girls to convey his sexy, glamorous Balmain goddess.

We had less of the skin and more of the cover up. Less sex appeal but more business.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture courtesy of Style.com 

Burberry Prorsum Fall 2015: British Bohemian

Burberry is always one of the most anticipated shows at LFW, yet Christopher Bailey consistently proves himself endlessly unpredictable.
Last season we had plisse chiffon and tulle dresses in natural ombre, the signature trench coat covered in abstract prints and bold slogans and flat sandals in graphic tri-toned colours.
This season however, Bailey transformed the Burberry girl into an exotic yet bookish bohemian. It was all about the materials: from a delightful patchwork, floral trench and suede Macs to an army of heavily fringed ponchos plastered in the most beautiful prints and patterns. Empire-lines took precedency(also seen at Prada). The craftsmanship is always strong at Burberry. The use of heritage methods are applied to create that quintessentially British look.

Gypsy motifs fluctuated through the collection - for instance, the flowing folk dresses layered under edgy waistcoats in a rich yet subdued colour palette, giving a sense of a luxury antique feel. However, we saw the contrast presented by the modernity of some of the vintage looking pieces- shown through the grosgrain panelling over the whimsical folk dresses, which added a modern structure.

Colours were muted yet darker-toned: teal, olive, tan and maroon, giving the collection an added sense of romanticism.
My favourite pieces were the last gypsy'esque dresses with the most intricate embellishments- mirrored paisleys and sequined florals. Also the suede, patchwork knee-high boots which perfectly complemented the autumnal palette.

 

Picture Courtesy Style.com