More hybrid fashion…I couldn’t work out if this is a visor or bumbag (fannypack) or both? I saw it at the spring/summer press day for Won Hundred. There was loads of nice stuff in a sexy-meets-utility vein – think silk dresses with heavy silver zippers and black lace racer-back tanks – alas I was running late so couldn’t take many photos. I did also manage this photo though…Happy Socks! Doesn’t it make you happy just looking at them?
First there was the Alexia (020 8789 6752) cotton and crystal scarf-necklace in Grazia magazine’s fashion charts. Then I spotted another scarf-necklace hybrid yesterday at the press day for German jeweller Sabrina Dehoff. Finally, today, while being given a tour of The Shop At Bluebird, I spotted another scarf-slash-necklace by Maison Martin Margiela! You know what they say – ‘twice is a coincidence, thrice is a trend’…
Pics – top to bottom
Alexia, Sabrina Dehoff*, Maison Martin Margiela*
*Apologies for the lousy picture quality. I was actually taking a photo of Sabrina Dehoff’s wooden jewellery so her scarf-necklaces are a bit obscured, while the Margiela one is under glass.
News that international fashion buyers are playing safe when it comes to designer labels should have Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts jumping for joy. While stores struggle to encourage customer spending, buyers are increasing their orders on timeless separates and well-performing mega-brands while taking fewer risks on newer designers. I’m not entirely surprised. Even those designers that are new and innovative have toned down the wackiness in lieu of a commercial style that will appeal to as many monied customers as possible, in all corners of the globe. Long sleeves were one noticable trend at the recent round of fashion weeks that were understood to be a clear sign of reaching out to the affluent Middle Eastern market. According to WGSN, Selfridges will be sticking to established brands for its designer customer. “People aren’t buying as many unknown brands. We all want to invest in something that we know we are going to really love and will carry through a bit more to the next season.” said Selfridges’ designerwear buyer Laura Larbalestier. With Burberry announcing a 14 per cent increase in sales during the last six months, they are obviously doing something very right indeed and proving the point that customers want to invest in well-known, trusted brands. “We could turn off everything right now, but we’re not going to,” says Ahrendts. “This is the sort of time when leaders are born and made, and we will micromanage this business to stay on top. We are absolutely going to stay the course.”
“Sabrina Duncan always wore turtlenecks and we would call her ‘The Lesbian’. We always fought over who was going to be who…”
Dan and Dean from D Squared declare their love for Charlie’s Angels in Arena Homme Plus
