LFW SS15: Day 3

I wore: Matthew Williamson Pre Fall jacket & dress with Sophia Webster shoes & Roger Vivier bag
Image by The Nyanzi Report

By the time LFW SS15 day 3 rolled around I was pretty shattered despite having forgone the parties in favour of dinner and (perhaps one too many) drinks. I don’t know why I seem to have this belief that I can cram EVERYTHING in and still be a functional human being but when opportunities come your way you’ve got to seize them, right? Luckily for me LDNSKNS had kindly given me a car for the day and by the time I’d knocked back a triple shot latte and chatted with my charming driver the whole way to Bloomsbury I felt a little less like I wanted to curl up in the foetal position and weep…

Richard Nicoll SS15

Show número uno was Richard Nicoll. I thought his men’s collection back in June was fantastic to couldn’t wait to see what he has in store for us girls next Spring. The show notes promised a collection based on the “notion of slowing and embracing calm, travel, fitness and work-life balance”, something which sounded extremely appealing that morning. The collection that followed delivered an achingly cool yet relaxed vision of wearable, immaculately made pieces in a dreamlike palette of pastels and opalescent shimmering fabrics featuring high tech finishes and subtly dip dyed hems. As you know, I’m all about a bit of fantasy with my fashion – hence why I was wearing purple mink on a 20 degree day – and I loved that Richard worked a generous dose of that into his SS15 offerings. Translucent sequins, floor length dresses, metallic silver. The designer also collaborated with Disney’s Tinkerbell on a fibre optic slip dress which opened the show to dreamlike tinkling music. I didn’t love all of it and the draped coats over jersey left me a little cold but the silver slips, lilac leathers and metallic sandals were genius. Overall it was indeed a balance between everyday and escapism, just as promised.

After Richard Nicoll’s models had taken their final walk I grabbed Naomi and we leapt in the car to speed across London to Waterloo where the Sophia Webster presentation was being held deep in The Vaults. Like the rest of the fashion world, I am completely and utterly obsessed with Sophia’s playful, unique designs and had to drag myself away from her noughties themed presentation last season. This time around the theme was “Welcome To The Jungle” and I was seriously excited to see what lay instore inside the graffitied underground vaults. We were ushered through the darkness into a jungle rave with glow in the dark paint spattered walls, highlighter coloured foliage and face painted, bikini clad models posing on podiums, animals and cages. It was a trike awesome set and as for the shoes and bags, my feelings for them were borderline unhealthy. Fruity motifs, 3D flowers, sparkle, shine, cheeky slogans… I was in love.

Once again I found myself longing to stay and me and Naomi waxed lyrical about Sophia the whole way to our next show in the car. With a snippet of time to spare we hopped out to grab a bite and recharge our phones (anyone with an iPhone will sympathise with the constant search for plug sockets that is our fate) before tottering on to the Matthew Williamson show. I don’t need to tell you how I feel about Matthew Williamson. Infatuation doesn’t even begin to cover my love for his designs. Suffice to say I was seriously excited for the show, not least because I was wearing the most amazing look from Pre Fall and his team had kindly seated me on the front row.

Matthew Williamson SS15

In the majestic settings of One Great George Street – all chandeliers, cornices, frescoes and rococo grandeur – Matthew Williamson’s SS15 collection took my breath away and had me longing for summer. The soundtrack struck up and out strutted a succession of 70s bombshells clad in hibiscus blooms, flowing curls bouncing to the beat and glamour oozing from every pore. Simple silhouettes and cinched waists allowed for an explosion of print colour and embellishment. Think sequinned suede, silk dégradé floral patterns, tapestry, rich brocades, laser cut neon broderie and ostrich feather detailing in a rainbow of vibrant summer shades. It was Studio 54 meets Caribbean dream, a heady blend that bodes for fabulousness in the extreme. But that visual spectacle and louche, sensual femininity was underpinned by a level and range of technical skill and craftsmanship that perhaps accounts for Matthew’s devoted following more than one might assume. This season also saw the designer build on the strong daywear offering recent years have seen him expand, a smart and wholly essential move in today’s market. The show finished with a succession of chiffon dream gowns with flowing trains that drummed the message home, Matthew Williamson is still London’s master of glamour.

Matthew Williamson SS15

Roused by a show that was nothing if not uplifting, Naomi and I piled back into the car and wiggled across London to Portland Place for Temperley London. Temperley is another brand that has a special place in my heart and the press release declared “Now is a time for evolution” leaving me highly intrigued as to what was to come. I hoped that Alice’s new focus on “a full day to evening offering” wouldn’t mean the loss of the girlish loveliness I so adore.

Temperley London SS15

It was certainly different, opening with three piece suits in picnic blanket checks, baby pink and ice white paired with lace up sneakers. Broderie layers and chiffon cover ups added femininity while slicked back hair and sleek sunglasses made for a highly polished take on everyday dressing. I have to say, the suits didn’t entirely do it for me but the a line sculpted mini skirts were adorable as we’re the wide leg culottes in pink striped silk. Moving on to scarf dresses in printed chiffon, embroidered sundresses and intricate lattice cut silk I could see that Alice’s change of direction hadn’t cost her any of the knack for painstaking attention to detail. I definitely enjoyed the collection more as it progressed into light cotton sundresses with delectable coral broderie detailing and glittering fit n’ flare dresses subtly sparkling with delicate embroidery all over. At the time I felt slightly sad and longed for the princess gowns of seasons gone by but the more I look at Temperley London SS15 the more I like and appreciate the savviness of the collection. Stunning though Alice’s rich brocaded confections were, today’s woman needs a wardrobe that can cater for more than balls and white tie dinners. By retaining the uncompromising quality of her materials and attention to the most minute of detail, while offering a fresher, younger and more wearable aesthetic, Temperley has catapulted her brand into the consumer driven 21st century without losing what makes her work special.

Once we’d managed to pile out of the venue and locate our car it was a high speed dash, or rather a virtually stationary traffic jam, to the Topshop Unique show which is always a major hot ticket. Such a hot ticket in fact that the whole of Gray’s Inn road had been brought to a standstill as photographers and passers by wrestled for the chance to pap one of the A list attendees Topshop guarantees. Once we made it inside I saw that the amazing new show space boasted a revamped cafe as well as hair and makeup and nail technicians. Unfortunately we didn’t have long to indulge as within seconds it was time to sit down. Topshop had really pushed the boat out this season pulling in stars, uber bloggers and digital influencers from all over the world ranging from Hailee Steinfeld to Bryan Boy. It was of course total seating carnage and I felt very sorry for the PRs having to navigate the seat stealing and bickering and bitchy side eye going down in the bloggers rows. This was my second Topshop Unique show and on both occasions, the Brit high street giant has really impressed me. T

Topshop Unique SS15

his season saw an homage to the British seaside which translated to a sporty, sassy and all round want-it-now collection. Cara Delevingne opened the show in a striped tennis dress esque number with a cheeky ruffled hemline, setting the tone for a show that was fun and flirty throughout. There were pleated skirts, slinky neoprene shifts, pleated micro minis and even shorter shorts rocked by a mega model lineup that included Lily Donaldson, Malaika Firth, Sam Rollinson and Jourdan Dunn to name but a handful. The stripes, brights and graphic patterns eventually gave way to a series of barely there, bias cut, Swarovski embellished semi sheer chiffon slip dresses that I suspect landed straight on the wish lists of everyone there.

Love Ella. X