Events

Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out



Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out is looking like quite the event this year judging by my near-to-exploding in-box. I’m sorely tempted by Rupert Sanderson’s dance-off (choreographed by Bugsy Malone’s ‘Snake Eyes’, no less), Sophy Robson’s demo of Chanel’s new Khaki Nail Lacquer Collection at Selfridges and Liberty’s unveiling of its ‘World of Manolo’ pop-up shop. But the highlight will be Harvey Nichols’ designer ‘Haber-DASH-ery’.

We are promised a vintage haberdashery bureau overflowing with all manner of customising materials plus Jonathan Saunders, Markus Lupfer, Marios Schwab, Martin Grant and Erdem on Valerie Singleton duties. All rather impressive, but even more thrilling is the prospect of discussing the finer points of a well-placed button with Vogue’s Emma ‘More Dash Than Cash’ Elwick-Bates herself. If anyone knows how to create something out of nothing, it is she (although the ‘nothing’ in this case is a not-to-be-sniffed-at Fashion’s Night Out tee, which Erdem et al will be refashioning with a flourish of the Fiskars and a fistful of magic from their collective sewing basket).

Vogue’s More Dash Than Cash pages are my absolute favourite – beautifully shot and styled and proof that it’s not what you wear but how you layer it, tie it and reinvent it. For further reading, hunt down the More Dash Than Cash and Even More Dash Than Cash books – mine have been well thumbed over the years.
I will make it my mission to extract some choice nuggets of fashionable info from Elwick and co but for now, over to you…what are your FNO plans?

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AW10 trend report: Matches press day



“Heels are coming down,” said my tour guide, Matches buying director Bridget Cosgrave as she held aloft a pair of Tabitha Simmons kitten heels. And these really were kitten heels, not the 7cm ‘higher kitten heels’ I’d been reading about in Harper’s Bazaar earlier that morning. Cosgrave told me they have been feeling it for a while and now designers like Marc Jacobs and Rupert Sanderson are fully backing it. Which isn’t to say long, thin heels have had their day by any stretch. There were plenty of plat-heels still on show, in particular a Burberry hiker-stiletto and Charlotte Olympia’s in-demand cocktail heels. But alongside were all manner of more managable heels – wedges, brogues and a super-wearable shearling-lined Burberry biker.

Tabitha Simmons

Burberry

A good in-between is the Celine boot with tall, stack heels – classic but sexy. Stealth sexy if you will…

Away from shoes, Bridget enthused about Richard Nicoll. His T dress is a top seller at Matches (“it has a stealth following”) and it’s not hard to see why. It’s a loose, easy shape that suits all silhouettes, but its fluidity offers a dressiness that makes it versatile for work or evenings.

Knitwear news: Lutz & Patmos are celebrating their 10th anniversary with a greatest hits collection. Matches will be selling all the Lutz & Patmos collaborations – Sofia Coppola’s dress, Christy Turlington’s poncho and Carine Roitfeld’s laddered cashmere sweater.

Matches’ vintage Chanel bags sold so well for SS10 that they are buying more for AW10. And they have added a selection of vintage jewels to the offer too.


Bridget also drew my attention to a new luxe label to Matches. Raoul is from Singapore and it has to be said, they make a pretty good handbag. The balance of clean lines with luxury hardwear is right on the money. Style.com have just written about them here.

Finally, coats. I couldn’t tear myself away from Stella McCartney’s strict masculine coat (below) but the real winner fair and square in the outerwear stakes is the shearling-lined aviator jacket (but you knew that already). Second to that, like it or not, is fur. As Bridget puts it succinctly, “fur demand is huge”.

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Waiting and waiting…




Dear September 10th. Could you hurry up and arrive already please? I have allocated the entire day to fashion and Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out and have already pencilled some appointments in my Hello Kitty Smythson diary. I’m definitely making the Gap pop-up shop in Carnaby Street my first stop-off to see what visual delights Garance Dore is going to magic up with her photos, illustrations and limited edition T-shirts (above) and I’m planning to end the day at COS to take advantage of its free champagne and late closing (it’s open ’til 11pm). Then I will spend a good while at Liberty where all theseevents are taking place including an Hermes scarf-styling workshop from Vogue’s Emma Elwick (she who styles their phenomenal More Dash Than Cash pages).

Then I need to find time to watch Lucinda Chambers zhuzh up the windows of the Giorgio Armani windows in Sloane Street (6.45pm, 37-42 Sloane Street, SW1), witness Kate Phelan in action styling a Vogue shoot at Chanel on Bond Street (173, New Bond Street, 7-8pm), sample the exclusive black ice-cream from The Icecreamists at Selfridges (400 Oxford St, W1), watch Jourdan Dunn styling Topshop shoppers (8-9pm, Topshop 216 Oxford Street, W1) and help Rupert Sanderson with his giant shoe installation (33 Bruton Place, W1).

As if Thursday 10th won’t be mad enough, Oxford Street has decided to piggy back on the occasion with its first ever High Street Fashion Week starting today. Frankly, I’m right behind it. Let’s pick this economy up off its feet!

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