Interesting news that Hedi Slimane has left Dior Homme. The genius designer has been making too many demands on LVMH and so they’ve passed the baton to Kris van Assche from Belgium. Like the demise of Helmut Lang and Jil Sander, this marks the end of an era. Even if Slimane decides to launch his own label I doubt it will be remembered in the same way as Hedi Slimane For Dior Homme. During his time at Dior, Slimane pioneered a whole new lean and youthful silhouette for men, much like Giorgio Armani did with his unstructured menswear in the eighties. Collectors, best start snapping up those remaining bits of Dior Homme, they will be like gold dust from now on.
I’m morbidly fascinated by the new autumn/winter 07 Prada collection. It’s so awkward and ugly and unflattering, yet Miuccia’s influence is so great, the looks will undoubtedly filter down in a less extreme form and change the direction of fashion. Ditto Marc Jacobs. I hated his spring/summer 07 collections for Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, yet he clearly knows what he’s doing so there’s no question they will have an influence on future fashion. I can but (begrudgingly) put my reservations aside and trust that it will all become clear in time…
My first foray to LFW this week. No show tickets today so I went to have a nose at the exhibition tent. What a palaver! No bags allowed in the cloakroom due to ‘lack of space’. They should make more space next time or at least warn us poor suckers in advance. What’s the point in foisting the outsized bag trend on us if we can’t park the buggers in the cloakroom!
The big trend was lots of chunky knits in neutral colours (Madeleine Press, J & M Davidson, Diab’less) and I spotted some fab jewellery –especially French designer Elia Stone and old favourites Tatty Devine (Perspex grand piano brooches and bow tie necklaces –fun!) who are having their shop relaunch soiree tomorrow (236 Brick Lane, E2) and have ordered in hundreds of umbrellas for the event.
Accessories label Lowie (www.ilovelowie.com) has branched out into clothing with a capsule knitwear collection – think leg-o-mutton puff sleeves in bright felt-tip pen colours.
Shoe-wise Lulu Guinness is championing a darling mini-heel next season, especially on a sexy beatnik-y ankle boot which I’m told is in store end of July. I’m so there!
New labels I liked included Nocollection (www.nocollection.com) which has been around in France for 5 years – very Vanessa Bruno – and Modernist (www.modernistonline.com) which was all black and interesting and wearable. I also liked Zoe Tees– a collection of mostly T-shirty type pieces in washed cotton and lots of stripes. I know it’s all been done before but it just looked so cool and easy to wear.
After LFW I headed to TopShop and Urban Outfitters for some teen spotting as it was half term. Everywhere has gone nu rave crazy which I guess should be expected as it’s the biggest street style trend we’ve had for a while.
