2010 Style

Meeting & working with so many industry professionals, as I am sure you are aware, often provokes the question, ‘what will you be wearing this year?’


As much as I love to keep my finger on the pulse & follow the latest fashions, 2010 for me is really all about individual style, marching to the beat of your own drums as it were.

I remember a dear friend of mine, in the bid to adopt individuality foolishly took a blow-pen to her trainers… To say the result was unsightly is an understatement; rather it resembled skittle-infused hobgoblin sick. Needless to say that the British Weather was nothing but reliable & I cannot for one minute say I was displeased to see the rain wash a stream of red, green and pink down the footpath. Yet her creativity had to be admired.

Not that I’m asking you to go as far as to Crayola you’re coveted Gucci ‘clemence’ platform sandals nor tie-dye your chino’s. In fact, I’m not asking you to do anything. Do what you like. That is the message after all.

Beige Concern

We’ve had tan, cream, natural, sand and biscuit, but this season beige returns to us under a new title –Nude. High end designers such as Miuccia Bianchi Prada of Miu Miu, Calvin Klein and Thakoon all showcased this widely discussed colour, as did High Street brands River Island and Urban Outfitters.

     

In fact, Nude appears through so many different guises this season it can’t be avoided. But why would we want to with such a vast choice of dresses, handbags, shoes, jackets and tailored trousers available.

But is Nude for everyone? The simple answer is no, but that is not say it should be avoided altogether. The key to success with this colour is to find the perfect nude for you & with so many varieties out there this should be a breeze. Try placing the garment, whatever it may be, next to your cheek. Ask yourself if the colour makes you look washed out, blushed and dull or radiant and glowing.

New Website.

That's right I've got a new website I thought I'd share with Bambidextrous readers.

http://www.lukesutton.net/

Okay, so it's nothing to do with Fashion Forecasting but it comes with a message that there will be more great posts up soon, so keep your finger on the pulse.

ATTENTION!

It’s been almost a month since the last post as I have been exceptionally busy. I just hope it kept you in suspense as now I turn to focus on Military style. And so, stomach in-shoulders back as we explore yet another androgynous based trend.


This trend could only be expected to arrive after celebrities such as Victoria Beckham, and The Killers very own Brandon Flowers both carried off military attire to great effect.

A camouflage palette of Khaki, Sand, Olive and Grey is used through hard wearing materials such as wool, linen, cotton and denim teamed with leather and suede shoes, as well as heavy gold embroidery and mimic metal brooches.

The Military look is crisp and well formed, as well as earthly and untidy, shown via the contrast between navy blue blazers decked with large gold buttons, to the loose fitting of heavy nylon and cotton coats with leather boots.

The fashion focused amongst you likely know of French designer Balmain, whose ready-to-wear collection adopted many elements of this fundamental up and coming trend. Arguably, the most recognizable piece of his collection – a super stylish crystal embellished jacket has been snapped up by A-list singer Beyonce Knowles.

Heidi Mount and Freja Beha Erichsen. Two names you may not be familiar with, but certainly two faces you will recognize glancing from the beneath wool brimmed hats of Chanel’s Autumn/Winter ‘Military Milkmaid’ ad campaign seen throughout the pages of Elle, Love, and many other a magazine. The instantly recognizable pair flout Chanels signature look with jaw-dropping ease. Tailored jackets incorporating mandarin collars provide a masculine fitted silhouette while black billowing skirts add volume as they catch the breeze.

Without a doubt we can expect to see many a style squaddie throughout the British High Street this coming season. So stand to attention, and march those Bertie Leather Boots with pride.

Hell For Leather

"The Fabric of the season" say Elle Magazine, and I couldn't agree more. This durable, long-lasting, and versatile material owned the Autumn/Winter runway shows in various forms, all to stunning effect.

Expect belts, bags, gloves, shorts, dresses and skirts this season, not forgetting the most obvious of purchases- the leather jacket. This wardrobe staple returns season to season, and as we head into the winter months there is plenty of choice available from the likes off Swiss, Akris and English favourite Alexander McQueen. Balmain have created my personal favourite as it is a fairly classic garment, yet the broad shoulders add that high-style look.

The leather dress is also set to filter it's way down to the British High Street from the catwalks of designers such as Alberta Feretti, Chanel and Loewe. Loewe's dress in particular has a fascinating homogenous appeal to it.

"Your one and only pleasure, all decked in lace and leather." - Britney Spears

Still not convinced? The love for leather doesn't end here. An array of garments cropped up throughout London, New York, Paris, and Milan, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for key items when out on the cold and frosty high-street this A/W.

My Jesus has broad shoulders

Now that fashion for women turns to androgynous attire, the female figure is flouted with a masculine edge.

The cuts of garments this Autmn/Winter is far more crisp, sheer and defined. The sharp shouldered jacket is a great example of well-formed design, such as those produced by fashion house Balmain under the watchful eye of creative director Christophe Decarnin. Pierre Balmain, original founder of the famous fashion house was born in France, and so it made perfect sense that this glitzy collection was shown at the Paris Ritz, showcasing extravogant garments later to be reflected throughout the Great British High Street far more subtley.

Emilio de la Morena, a spanish designer, used a range of well structured body hugging dresses. He astounded the socialite onlookers in London with outrageously daring colours of  vermillion red, valencia orange, gold and aramanth deep purple, while flamboyant curvaceous sculptures were supported around the shoulders and neck.

The decoration of such dresses also had structural elements to it. For instance the geometric patterns used by designers such as Holly Fulton resembling robotic internal engineering or the collection of dresses referencing perfume bottles by Mary Katrontzou (one of my favourite designers of the moment) that incorporate symmetric curves to nip their wearers in at the waist.

These collections illustrate how architectural tailoring does not mean women worldwide are set to wear boring box-like outfits, taste and shapeless, as curves and colour dominate this Autumn/Winter trend.

Somewhere over The Rainbow

With such dismal weather we Brits once again have been left disappointed this summer.

However as grey skies hovered above, beneath lay an array of colour in the way we dressed. From Tye-dye to techno, the British High-Street flaunted it all. But what's in store next, as surely the weather can only get worse?

As we head into Autumn/Winter '09 don't be so keen to cast those brights aside as colour is not completely deceased this season.

Peter Pilotto, Erdem & Marni all used vibrant colour in a range of techno-floral print dresses they sent strutting down their A/W runways.

Versace, Gucci, and Emanuel Ungaro too displayed coats and dresses in vibrant colours; blocks of pink, purple and orange. Dior, with an entire ensemble of dresses in various colours, shapes, cuts and lengths involving paisley patterning, luxurious beading, and quantities of light, bright, and flowing material, gave an oriental feel to his runway that astounded many with its sheer energy.

And so, don't feel only grey this season in the wet weather, but rather red with love, pink with passion, green with tranquility, yellow with optimism, and orange with warmth, and somewhere over the rainbow skies may be blue.