Ahoy There, Brittany! Naval Trends

There is something amazingly magnificent about these incredinly simple, contrasting vertical lines that anyone and everyone seems to be adorning their bodies with, whether it be dresses, jumpers, t-shirts, cardigans or blazers - the Breton stripe is determined to make this season the stripiest one ever.

What is so fascinating about the Breton stripe is its inconspicuous and understated minimalism that has the power to do something very unique for each individual, with complete and utter clarity. The stripe can create an Olivia Palermo Parisian chic ensemble, complimented with gold buttons and chinos the stripes can be worn classically casual, sexy with black skinny jeans and heels Balmain style, a trendy Alexa like style with cut off shorts and pumps or can complete a rocky biker look with clumpy boots, and faded jeans. The Breton stripe is so versatile and chic it won’t deter you from joining the stripy masses. Nevertheless, originality and innovation can always put you in a stripe of your own...

Pirates, Parrots and Paradise

Jean Charles de Castelbajac’s store twinkles like a diamond reflecting a sun lit sparkling sea at the end of Saville Row. Although the red, blue and white and monochrome stripes of the seafaring refined sailor is still referenced at JCDC, the sea is choppier, and the voyage far more adventurous – for Breton stripe innovation JCDC’s spring summer collection is aptly titled Pirates, Parrots and Paradise. The collection is unremarkably intricate, inventive and yet still so on trend – its high street style with a high fashion finish; accessible but dazzling, practical but fantastical. Amongst the collection are sequin shift dresses, some with thick naval coloured stripes, others with Donald Duck or skull and cross bones emblazoned on the front. Gold rope chains with dangling gold anchors hang from t-shirts, parrots sit erect on the straps of white peasant rah-rah dresses and Breton striped blue and white t-shirt dresses feature tropical coloured parrots on each sleeve. From skull and cross bones, to eye patches, top handled bags with the Union Jack flags, parrots on shoulders and Donald Duck the sailor himself; every pirate, captain, naval and paradise box has been ticked, creating a coherent and linear story that threads its way enchantingly through the collection. This is an incredibly intelligent piece of art, created by a true artist, his vision is most certainly magical and truly jolted me, waking me up to an excitement about clothes that I may have sadly lost, following populist designers too literally. This Breton striped ship most certainly hasn’t sailed, in fact has anchored itself for the next few months, giving fashionistas ample time to play around with the vertical lines. Instead of going cookie cutter chic, why not funk it up and go JCDC on Brittany?

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Lanvin ss2010

Seriously Hot

Intensely provocative, seriously sexy or femininely flirtatious, Alber Elbaz has created something enchantingly clever and aesthetically magnificent for every woman, wherever she spends the hotter months of the year. Inspired by strong and stylish Argentine women, lunching in a cafe in Argentina, the culmination of love, lust and life come together to create an anthology of ensembles perfect for the real woman.
The show opened up with a black dress, slick hair pulled back in a hard pony tail, eyes dark and rocky in smokey black, the face bare and framed by a projecting structured, saucer like collar. The silhouette continuously transformed itself, from tailored a Le Smoking, leg o mutton, one shouldered, puffed sleeved, harem, tulip and bubble hemmed dresses and all-in-ones in a selection of jet blacks, powder and fuchsia pinks, soft peaches worn against nude and cappuccino colours. Draped and voluminous dresses billowed and fluttered, taking on a life of their own as the models breezed dreamily down the runway. Elbaz reiterated the intricacy and difficulty constructing this collection, but they breathed an air of comfort, of ease and that heavenly feeling of luxury when cool materials brush against hot skin.
Motifs of spiralling and tumbling ruffles, waterfalls of soft pleats and supple folds fell to perfection. Svelte dresses were embellished with exaggerated tousles of material that snaked their way across the entire length of the dress, working its way across the body, titivating the peplum dress.

V necks, collapsing plunging necklines and sleeves purposely falling off the shoulder in asymmetry bought the décolletage to the focal point. Gold tribal antic chokers, necklaces and chains embellished with pink and green lacquer piled up around the model’s necks and chandelier earrings cascaded from their ears in a beautiful overkill. Leather ankle strapped court shoes in nude, black and ivory ornamented with shackle like chains forming t-bars or ankle chains accompanied the dresses, occasionally worn with a single long black leather glove, ruched down the wrist adding a tough edge to the ensemble.

As if there wasn’t enough mouth watering extravagance overwhelming the audience, the final part of the parade, models left behind the subtle colours and lit up the catwalk with dazzling emerald greens, flaming reds and burnt oranges. Bullions of gold beads, sequins and studs reminiscent of the flapper girls’ dress spilt down mushroom brown polyester. Black leather as soft and supple as lame made fluid cocktail dresses.

The collection was as exciting as a Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel; a hint of magic, a Latin zing and just enough reality to create a completely hypnotic experience. Young, modern, yet completely classic – the show worked entirely to my taste, the feminine wasn’t too girly, the sexy wasn’t too suggestive and the rich colours weren’t too bright. Hail stones and snow haven’t prevented me from feeling the heat from this work of art, this summer I will Tango dressed up in Lanvin. X

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