By Leah Rumack
Shown: Amanda Wakeley Fall 2008. Photography by Peter Stigter.
Ossie Clark: Not sure how I felt about this baby, and judging by the merely polite applause after the show for new designer Avsh Alom Gur’s offerings, many of my comrades felt similarly conflicted. While some retro touches, like bright shift dresses and oversize buttons evoked the glory days of old, most of it failed to inspire. Hmmm…was it best to let sleeping seventies labels lie?
Amanda Wakeley: Okay, so, to borrow associate beauty editor Adriana Ermter’s phrase, I don’t mean to be Debbie Downer over here on day 2, but Amanda Wakeley’s (known for her red-carpet looks that have landed on the backs of the Scarlett Johanssons and Kate Winslets of the world) show was also a bit ho hum. There was an Atonement moment with a string of vibrant green frocks of all lengths, some with punk-rock studs that gave standard eveningwear a little more depth, but mostly it was just sellable. Didn’t really get my blood boiling. But then again, that’s the Tube’s job, isn’t it? Have I mentioned the London Tube to you yet? See photos from this show.
Paul Smith: While there was certainly nothing revolutionary in terms of ideas here, you don’t really expect that from the man about to open a store at Heathrow terminal. You expect pretty, and English, and wearable, and you get all three. (Or at least those of us who managed to get into the show did, as a crush of bona fide ticket holders were turned away at the door. Sometimes it’s really handy being short, as you can just scamper by security guards, who then turn to each other and say: “Did you see a mouse?”) Mousie especially liked the forties skirts, the bright orange grouping (and shoes!), the graphic prints on tights and the swing coat covered with illustrations of women in their best New Look outfits. See photos from this show.
Biggest buzz today was about Louise Goldin, a young Central Saint Martins grad (god, aren’t they all?) whose second runway show was full of Space Eskimo-inspired knits.
Celebs in the front rows: British It-Girls Lily Allen and Peaches Geldof.
Girls on the street are wearing: their hair piled up in buns right on top of their heads. Sort of as if they’ve perched a cupcake up there.
People at the shows are wearing: electric shoe shades. I saw a pair of bright blue, super-high Louboutins marching down the street, and I nearly rolled her for them. What? It’s not like she could run.
God I wish I had a: camel. To carry my bag full of press kits, tickets, London maps and malaria pills. Just kidding. No maps.
