Michael Kors
The All-American designer, Michael Kors, introduced “Sand Chic” – a new concept in beach-glamour – at New York Fashion Week.
Forget flip-flops, a sarong and the baby-buggy stuffed with sun-cream, sandwiches and a wind-break. In Kors’ jetset fashion world, a woman doesn’t set foot on the shore unless those feet are encased in gold six-inch spike heels and she’s wearing a little cashmere cardigan, a picture hat the size of a satellite dish, toting a metallic satchel and with enough gold jewellery to make King Midas envious; and that is just to go with her bikini. The look was more Barbados than Brighton, as Kors’ models emerged in candy-coloured swimsuits tethered with golden collars, tiny, floral two-pieces embellished with frills and striped cashmere, midriff-baring sweaters with matching cashmere big-knickers. Kors described his collection as “strident, sexy American style with a sporty edge’ and, with Maria Sharapova in his front row line-up, it was a given he would include a series of sassy tennis dresses in ice-cream stripes, worn with court-unfriendly platform trainers. Like many designers showing this season in New York, he also touched on safari style, with well-tailored, gilt-buttoned bush-jackets in khaki suede, white linen and beige silk, worn with matching trousers, cuffed shorts or below-the-knee A-line skirts. The super-chic summer 2008 wardrobe also included sequined shifts and silk peasant-dresses in tequila sunrise colours, violet cashmere, long T-shirt dresses with matching cardigans that grazed the floor and finely-pleated chiffon gowns in mint, lemon and sugar-pink for poolside parties. Diane Von Furstenberg “It’s all about escapism, getting away to a mysterious paradise island,” said Diane Von Furstenberg of her collection entitled “Under the Volcano”. Escapism, in Diane’s terms, of course, means traveling with a suitable wardrobe – short shifts in African prints, embellished with beads and an array of “Bali Hai”-style, voluminous silk and chiffon maxi-dresses in vibrant tie-dyes or bold prints as bright as molton lava. Cut halter-styled, bandeau-bodiced or draped in the manner of a sarong, with a rise-and-fall hemline, these were accessorized with matching headscarves, Panama hats or and orchids pinned behind the ears. Diane will be at London Fashion Week next week to host the opening of her third shop, a flagship store in Mayfair alongside the boutiques of Matthew Williamson and Stella McCartney – both of whom are on the LFW catwalk schedule this season; Matthew for the 10th anniversary show for his label and Stella who is making her LFW debut with her collection for adidas. THAKOON The actress Kate Bosworth – in shocking pink silk – joined Amanda Peet, Diana Ross’s daughter, Tracey Ellis Ross and American Vogue’s Anna Wintour for the showing by the young designer, Thakoon Panichgul.
Thakoon goes from strength to strength and in a few seasons has evolved as one of the contemporary but quirky newer names to watch.
This season he introduced prints, inspired by the clothing worn by traditional Japanese fishermen in remote coastal villages. This was done in navy and white and yellow/brown colour combinations, part kimono-pattern, part-Ikat in look.
He used these ethnic prints for loose tunics and full-skirts, fitted dresses and baggy pants, sometimes patchworking them together with other pieces in a pin-fine stripe or a bold grass-green or daffodil yellow.
And he added the “Accessory of the Moment”, the Panama hat or Trilby (Aygness Deyn is rarely seen without hers), in his case, a little battered as if it had been washed ashore like a piece of driftwood.
The print trail extended to exploded florals in rainbow shades and a softer, silvery floral brocade and vivid Sunray-pleated stripes of emerald, navy and white.
For party-time, Thakoon showed voluminous, but lightweight silk dresses with billowing “parachute skirts”.
TEMPERLEY
“Plage Priveé” read the invitation to Alice Temperley’s spring/summer showing which drew an impressive front row line-up including Demi Moore, Molly Sims, Christy Turlington – wearing Temperley – and Rachel Zoe, along with home-team support from the Duran Duran boys Simon Le Bon and Nick Rhodes.
The collection was inspired by the 1920’s and was full of fun playsuits, romper-suits, pretty beach dresses in tiny tiers of white ruffles, nautical knits in cream and navy and short-sleeved satin blouses worn with satin Oxford “bags”.
Alternative office-wear included a boned, black lace bustier worn with suiting knickerbockers and a grey leather, tailored spencer jacket with matching high-waist shorts.
She also showed the dresses which have become something of a signature – short , fit-and-flare party-frocks with a jeweled breastplate and collar detail – and long,bra-gowns in burnt orange chiffon, featuring tiny woven pleats across the bust and torso which then opened into a flaring cloud of fabric below the knee.
The pyramid-wedge shoes were great, but the odd, leather “boxing boots” – which clashed with the eclectic femininity of the Temperley trademark – something of a mistake.
Temperley is on a major expansion programme in Asia, thanks to investment from a new partner. Five shops will open in Korea next year and Alice and her husband are now eyeing up Russia.
