London Fashion Week hits climax with Burberry, Erdemnews.kuwaittimes.net/pdf/2016/sep/21/p37.pdf ·...

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L uxury British fashion house Burberry unveiled its highly anticipated display at London Fashion Week Monday, an opulent affair featuring frilly blouses, vel- vet blazers and silky pajama shirts - for both men and women. Elsewhere, Christopher Kane and Erdem were among designers showing off their newest collections to the fashion pack before they jet off to Milan. Some high- lights from Day 4 of the fashion week: Post-gender opulence at Burberry Soaring live orchestral music, opera singers, an impos- ing new show venue complete with classical sculptures: Burberry’s latest display is a very grand affair indeed. So it comes as no surprise that the clothes on show are just as opulent. Minimalism had no place here: The luxury British brand’s new collection featured flamboyant military coats, frilly high collars reminiscent of portraits of Queen Elizabeth I, rich velvet and brocade, and silky pajamas lay- ered under floral jackets - designs intended for both gen- ders. For the first time, the target audience isn’t just female fashion fans. Monday’s show marked a move by Burberry to merge its traditionally separate women’s and menswear shows. Fittingly, creative director Christopher Bailey said he was inspired by Virginia Woolf’s novel “Orlando,” whose hero is a poet who changes gender from man to woman. “I was looking for this idea of fluidity of gender, fluidity of travel, and I love the poetry in ‘Orlando,’” Bailey told The Associated Press backstage. The heritage brand also introduced another first: Fans can “shop the show” straightaway, both online and in-store. The move, also introduced by several other brands this sea- son, is seen as an industry game-changer. Traditionally, fashion shows are exclusive previews intended only for industry insiders, and ordinary consumers have to wait months before the new styles are released. Not anymore. An elaborate python and ostrich leather handbag shown Monday went on sale immediately - at a formidable $2,660 each. The new strategy may stoke more buying interest from fashionistas, but whether it brings in more profit is something that remains to be seen. Romantic shipwreck at Erdem A shipwreck has never looked so elegant or darkly romantic. Canada-born designer Erdem Moralioglu always infuses his shows with a sense of drama and haunting beauty, and this time is no different. Models wore large floppy black hats that obscured their faces, gliding on a weathered boardwalk that appeared to weave in and out of water. The dreamy clothes reflected the brooding nauti- cal theme, crafted in washed-out shades of blue and silvery grey, and all the frocks seemed to be covered in miles of rolling ruffles, lace, frills and velvet ribbons. As always with Erdem, the devil is in the couture-like level of detail. Little gemstones twinkle on brocade gowns, and some of the embroidery is stunning in its intricacy, especially the rich Oriental-style florals overlaid on sheer delicate fabrics. For many, Erdem’s creations may be too much like costumes for a period drama. But at a time when much of fashion is so disposable, it’s pleasing to see a designer insist on making every piece a work of art. Fashionistas take over the Tate modern for Kane Museum-goers could be forgiven for wondering where all the odd, funny shoes came from as the fashion crowd descended like a cloud of overdressed locusts at the usual- ly staid Tate Britain on the banks of the River Thames. With American Vogue editor Anna Wintour presiding in the front row at the Christopher Kane show, guests arrived with an emphasis on sparkly boots and heels, with green and silver sequins predominating. There were mustard thigh-high boots, silver patent leather shoes with tassels, and pointy black-and-red suede ankle boots with heels shaped like a sailboat’s winged keels. Once the show began, the shoes were quickly over- shadowed by Kane’s eclectic creations. Known for his edgy designs and his references to modern art, some of the dresses took a Jackson Pollack approach to color and relied on wildly clashing patterns to carry the look. Despite the museum setting, there is nothing safe or conventional about Kane’s approach. Some of the three-quarter-length coats were ripped for impact’s sake, and some of the ele- gant dresses had cutaways and high-tech mesh panels. Long black gloves were meant to be iconoclastic - not a nod to ballet days - and were decorated with colors and cutouts. The former wunderkind’s own label is now 10 years old, but he isn’t repeating himself. Some of the multi- colored coat designs had a fresh, fevered look, covering dresses that evoked a similar mood if not similar colors or patterns. Some of the dresses sported dozens of metallic hooks, some closed to keep the ensembles together, oth- ers serving no apparent structural purpose. Many were set off by Stephen Jones’ distinctive hats, often in solid colors to offset the controlled chaos of the ensembles. — AP WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 FASHION lifestyle London Fashion Week hits climax with Burberry, Erdem

Transcript of London Fashion Week hits climax with Burberry, Erdemnews.kuwaittimes.net/pdf/2016/sep/21/p37.pdf ·...

Page 1: London Fashion Week hits climax with Burberry, Erdemnews.kuwaittimes.net/pdf/2016/sep/21/p37.pdf · 21/09/2016  · A shipwreck has never looked so elegant or darkly romantic. Canada-born

Luxury British fashion house Burberry unveiled itshighly anticipated display at London Fashion WeekMonday, an opulent affair featuring frilly blouses, vel-

vet blazers and silky pajama shirts - for both men andwomen. Elsewhere, Christopher Kane and Erdem wereamong designers showing off their newest collections tothe fashion pack before they jet off to Milan. Some high-lights from Day 4 of the fashion week:

Post-gender opulence at BurberrySoaring live orchestral music, opera singers, an impos-

ing new show venue complete with classical sculptures:Burberry’s latest display is a very grand affair indeed. So itcomes as no surprise that the clothes on show are just asopulent. Minimalism had no place here: The luxury Britishbrand’s new collection featured flamboyant military coats,frilly high collars reminiscent of portraits of QueenElizabeth I, rich velvet and brocade, and silky pajamas lay-ered under floral jackets - designs intended for both gen-ders.

For the first time, the target audience isn’t just femalefashion fans. Monday’s show marked a move by Burberryto merge its traditionally separate women’s and menswearshows. Fittingly, creative director Christopher Bailey said hewas inspired by Virginia Woolf ’s novel “Orlando,” whosehero is a poet who changes gender from man to woman.

“I was looking for this idea of fluidity of gender, fluidityof travel, and I love the poetry in ‘Orlando,’” Bailey told TheAssociated Press backstage.

The heritage brand also introduced another first: Fanscan “shop the show” straightaway, both online and in-store.The move, also introduced by several other brands this sea-son, is seen as an industry game-changer. Traditionally,fashion shows are exclusive previews intended only forindustry insiders, and ordinary consumers have to waitmonths before the new styles are released. Not anymore.An elaborate python and ostrich leather handbag shownMonday went on sale immediately - at a formidable $2,660each. The new strategy may stoke more buying interestfrom fashionistas, but whether it brings in more profit issomething that remains to be seen.

Romantic shipwreck at ErdemA shipwreck has never looked so elegant or darkly

romantic. Canada-born designer Erdem Moralioglu alwaysinfuses his shows with a sense of drama and hauntingbeauty, and this time is no different. Models wore largefloppy black hats that obscured their faces, gliding on aweathered boardwalk that appeared to weave in and outof water. The dreamy clothes reflected the brooding nauti-cal theme, crafted in washed-out shades of blue and silverygrey, and all the frocks seemed to be covered in miles ofrolling ruffles, lace, frills and velvet ribbons.

As always with Erdem, the devil is in the couture-likelevel of detail. Little gemstones twinkle on brocade gowns,and some of the embroidery is stunning in its intricacy,especially the rich Oriental-style florals overlaid on sheerdelicate fabrics. For many, Erdem’s creations may be toomuch like costumes for a period drama. But at a time whenmuch of fashion is so disposable, it’s pleasing to see adesigner insist on making every piece a work of art.

Fashionistas take over the Tate modern for KaneMuseum-goers could be forgiven for wondering where

all the odd, funny shoes came from as the fashion crowddescended like a cloud of overdressed locusts at the usual-ly staid Tate Britain on the banks of the River Thames. With

American Vogue editor Anna Wintour presiding in the frontrow at the Christopher Kane show, guests arrived with anemphasis on sparkly boots and heels, with green and silversequins predominating. There were mustard thigh-highboots, silver patent leather shoes with tassels, and pointyblack-and-red suede ankle boots with heels shaped like asailboat’s winged keels.

Once the show began, the shoes were quickly over-shadowed by Kane’s eclectic creations. Known for his edgydesigns and his references to modern art, some of thedresses took a Jackson Pollack approach to color and reliedon wildly clashing patterns to carry the look. Despite themuseum setting, there is nothing safe or conventionalabout Kane’s approach. Some of the three-quarter-lengthcoats were ripped for impact’s sake, and some of the ele-gant dresses had cutaways and high-tech mesh panels.

Long black gloves were meant to be iconoclastic - not anod to ballet days - and were decorated with colors andcutouts. The former wunderkind’s own label is now 10years old, but he isn’t repeating himself. Some of the multi-colored coat designs had a fresh, fevered look, coveringdresses that evoked a similar mood if not similar colors orpatterns. Some of the dresses sported dozens of metallichooks, some closed to keep the ensembles together, oth-ers serving no apparent structural purpose. Many were setoff by Stephen Jones’ distinctive hats, often in solid colorsto offset the controlled chaos of the ensembles. — AP

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

F A S H I O N

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London Fashion Week hits climax with Burberry, Erdem