LONDON FASHION WEEK

LONDON FASHION WEEK: THE LOOKS WE LOVED

Designers, fashionistas and influencers from around the globe like Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue Anna Wintour  gathered in London from February 14-18 to take in the AW14 collections of both industry veterans and surprising newcomers alike.  

On the catwalk, we delighted in current trends like pink fur, as well as odes to previous eras such as 1940’s peplum and tailored wide shouldered jackets, 1950’s-inspired poodle skirts and 1990’s sleek simplicity.  After 5 days of fashion and dozens of shows, we’ve narrowed down our list of favorite looks to the four artists below.  Take a peak at what absolutely made our London Fashion Week!

Sleek and chic, the simple sophistication of Amanda Wakeley’s wonderfully wearable collection were literally breathtaking.

DESIGNER NAME: Amanda Wakeley

BACKGROUND: Amanda is from Chester, England. She is self-taught, “I made clothes from the moment I grew tall enough to reach the foot of the sewing machine”, she comments. She worked in America for an influential New York designer and retailer, while keeping up her own designs on the side. She soon gained the confidence to launch her brand, Amanda Wakeley.

SIGNATURES: “Day dressing is luxe sportif, evening is contemporary glamour, always with a luxurious use of fabrics, perfection of cut and attention to craftsmanship. The look is calculatedly understated but alluring.”

IDEAL CLIENT: “She is ageless – she has an attitude to dressing rather than a specific age. She wears the clothes because they are sexy yet not overt; they are body enhancing yet comfortable; they are relevant yet appropriate to her lifestyle. She has an enviable ease.”

www.amandawakeley.com

 

  

The bold, quirkiness that London is known for shone through in the House of Holland runway show. We loved House of Holland’s use of vibrant color, mixing of patterns and embellished shirt collars!

DESIGNER NAME: Henry Holland

BACKGROUND: Born in Ramsbottom, Henry went on to study at the London College of Printing. He was a stylist before setting up his label.

SIGNATURES: “Bold, colourful, irreverent.”

IDEAL CLIENT:  “I design with a London girl’s aesthetic in mind and love to see girls wearing my designs in their own unique way.”

TRADEMARK: “
The T-shirt.”

COLLECTION: “Tatler’s Bystander column, posh girls gone bad and iconic English ballrooms.”

WHAT MAKES LONDON WOMENSWEAR SO EXCITING? “The diversity of the collections being presented. The anticipation around the London shows is more than any other fashion capital in the world.”

www.houseofholland.co.uk

    

We loved how designer Filippo saluted the week’s host city by pairing his feminine, tailored looks with tall Bobby-style fur hats. We also loved the military-inspired coats, tailored suiting and overall glamour of the collection.

DESIGNER NAME: DAKS

Filippo studied at Harvard in the early 1980s before moving on to the School of Fashion Psychology at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, where he was awarded a Master’s Degree in 1993.

For the next two years he was Assistant Designer at Donna Karan, working on the menswear line and collaborating directly with Ms Karan. He then became Visual Merchandising Manager for Ralph Lauren, helping to develop menswear collections for four seasons.

He was personal assistant to the designer Michael Kors for the first year of his tenure as creative director for the Celine label.In his capacity as teacher, Filippo has also taught fashion psychology at the European Institute of Design in Rome and Tokyo.

Filippo began his career at DAKS in 2005, when he started supervising the creation of the DAKS Little line for children. He subsequently curated other collections for the historic English label, such as the DAKS Golf sportswear line and the E1 menswear second line. Thanks to the great success enjoyed by the company, in 2010 he was then made creative director for the first-line DAKS menswear and womenswear collections.

www.daks.com

   

 

Emilio de la Morena returns to our London favorites list this season with a collection that is bursting with vibrant color, sumptuous fabrics and flattering silhouettes.  A classic blend of modern femininity coupled with classic sensibilities, the collection is filled with gorgeous party dresses and tailored skirts for every occasion.

DESIGNER NAME: Emilio de la Morena (One of our favorite LFW staples! Pink fur)

BACKGROUND: Born in Spain, Emilio studied at Central Saint Martins and the London College of Fashion. He has worked for Rafael Lopez and Jonathan Saunders. Emilio is by nature an intellectual designer, whose passion lies in exploring new processes and ways of putting clothes together. He manages to create surprising and fastidiously sexy cocktail looks by modernizing old and obscure craftsmanship techniques. But just as important as the intellectual explorations behind a collection, is the way each garment makes the wearer feel – reinforcing her personality and a sensual femininity.

SIGNATURES: “Sculptural chic.”

IDEAL CLIENT: “She is first and foremost strong, modern and in control. She knows her own mind and is not afraid to stand out; nor is she scared of expressing herself in a vibrant and bold way. She loves playing with her personality and uses dress to express the many layers of her character, always managing to strike the right balance between elegantly refined and provokingly sexy.  This woman is in control of her life both emotionally and economically, she lives in or close to a major metropolis, spending most if not all her time in the city. It is important that the work she does stimulates her. Whatever her chosen field, it will be one that she can really commit to. She will be at the centre of the work that she does whatever the industry and whatever the level. Don’t mess with this woman; she will have you wrapped around her little finger in no time.”

www.emiliodelamorena.com

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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