LFW AW15 Day 3

I wore Maison Kitsune jacket & dress, French Connection striped tee, Mulberry shoes, House of Holland bag, Karen Walker sunglasses, Caravelle watch and Thomas Sabo jewellery
Image by Holly McGlynn

On to LFW AW15 day 3 we go! I really hope you enjoy reading these rather long daily accounts of my fashion week, or should I say month, as much as I enjoy living and writing about them. Please do let me know if you don’t! I’d hate to think I was unwittingly boring you all to tears. For now I’ll assume that’s not the case and continue merrily tapping away…

The third day of London Fashion Week this season kicked off at the delightfully leisurely hour of 11am, a fact made even more delightful by my oh-so-sensible decision to leave the Coach party at The Serpentine when it was just getting started, enjoy a celebratory dinner with Charlie and Andrew before heading home to sleep for the best part of ten hours. Once again the, let’s be honest, overly ambitious morning run plan was a non starter but I feel that normal rules don’t apply during fashion week. I’ve never “had a car” for the shows before, let alone a Rolls Royce Phantom with sleek striped tires (check), so I was in the midst of fighting a losing battle to will myself to get the tube as opposed to an Uber when the wonderful Colin called to say he had arrived. In case you were wondering, I miss Colin and the Rolls a lot, re adjusting to public transport was a struggle but when I shared this sentiment I was understandably told to get over myself off so I’ve been attempting to hide my disappointment at the lack of loungeable leather seats, phone charging facilities and blissful lack of other people’s arses in my face every time I’ve boarded the Piccadilly Line. But that’s enough of my wannabe Ivanka Trump act, let’s talk about the Issa London show.

The past two years have been nothing if not turbulent for Issa London. After the departure of Daniella Helayel – the designer behind that royal wrap dress; the one that made and then nearly broke the brand – Chairwoman, Camilla Al Fayed called on Blue Farrier to take on the role of Creative Director and guide the label”s plans for expansion. Issa certainly did some interesting things during this time; collaborations with THE OUTNET and Banana Republic (which I shot, remember?) and opening their first standalone store in Japan. But I must admit, from where I’m sitting at least, things looked slightly incohesive despite Farrier’s obvious talent and impressive résumé and in October she decided to leave the brand. After a brief dalliance with the idea of not appointing a new Creative Director, Issa announced that Chloé protégé Jamie O’Hare. would be taking on the role and AW15 would be the first collection in his new role. Sorry about that slight deviation but I think my show review will be better with a bit of context, or at least I hope so.

Issa AW15

I arrived at the magnificent One Great George Street venue just in the nick of time – more traffic / had to stop for coffee drama – to squidge into a seat which I essentially shared with the lovely Pixie Lott practically, so crowded was the show space. That’s never a bad thing for a brand though. With Lauren Santo Domingo, Natalie Joos and Marigay McKee on the FROW, interests all over the globe had clearly been piqued and I couldn’t wait to see what the new Issa would deliver. Opening looks in black and white animal cum Ikat zig zag motifs paired with kholled eyes, poker straight hair and seriously sassy stiletto heeled footwear set the tone for a collection that oozed heavily sexed up bohemian drama.

Issa AW15

From the layered, sculpted, second silhouettes to the heavy, glimmering gunmetal embellishments and flesh flashing fabrics on show, it was a far cry from Issa AW15 was a far cry from the mumsy wrap dresses of yore. The only reminders of K Middy’s now iconic, knee length Issa number being fluid draped dresses in shades of scarlet that clung to every curve, an altogether sexier if perhaps slightly unsubtle proposition. I enjoyed the bold winter hot house blooms and lace panelled, loosely cut lingerie esque slip dresses. Also, to my surprise given my usual boho aversion, I found the dramatic tassel trims all sorts of Talitha Getty fabulous. The asymmetric dresses with random ruching on the other hand entirely lost me but overall, an impressive collection that just about retained the brands signatures while moving things in a more contemporary, and certainly more seductive, direction.

After the models took their final walk, I scooped up Millie and we headed to Kensington for the Mulberry presentation. It’s no secret that Mulberry is one of my absolute favourites and I’m on tenterhooks to see what their newly appointed Creative Director offers up for his debut next season. This season the existing design team did an excellent job.

Mulberry AW15

There was enveloping, immaculately cut outerwear in luxe cashmere and multiple different wools; buttersoft inky black leather separates; dresses and coats hand-painted with a bespoke Filigree design; sporty jacquard knits; Mulberry heirtage checked capes and one killer satin jacquard jumpsuit that screamed to be taken dancing. As for the bags? well. You saw that pink sheepskin stunner on my instagram right?

Mulberry AW15

At this point me and Millie realised that we might actually die if we didn’t eat something soon so we grabbed some random tuna n’ bean situation to eat in the Rolls (Colin was very understanding about this) and made for the Topshop UNIQUE show. This seasons show space was the Tate Britain, a perfectly majestic surroundings in which to escape from the rain, drink some afternoon champagne and mingle. Topshop always boasts a stellar FROW; Bryan Boy – who informed me that his luggage was held up in customs, but he’d borrowed the most magnificent Valentino pyjama tailoring so I didn’t feel too sorry for him – Tina Leung, Nathalie Joos plus Jourdan Dunn, Kendall Jenner, Cara D etc. Settled in to my second row seat (which I still felt pretty chuffed about TBH) and consulted the show notes. Said notes declared Unique as the “catwalk expression of the Topshop brand, an invocation of classic British style”. This season promised to take us on a journey from the playful wilds of the English countryside to the extravagance of a gilded cocktail hour. Unsurprisingly, this made me very happy indeed and I couldn’t wait to feast my eyes on what was in store.

Topshop UNIQUE AW15

This English country starting point resulted in the kind of outerwear you WANT to wear – think faux fur trimmed cream parkas, chubby faux furs and neat peacoats – layered over cable knits and classes wool shifts reworked with thigh skimming hemlines slits for a sassier, 21st century feeling. The beautiful botanical blooms that came printed across ice white dresses were utterly dreamy, as were the knee high boots plus socks combos they came paired with.

Topshop UNIQUE AW15

Between the asymmetric, slit tweed pencil skirt, corn flower blue tailoring and glossy PVC macks and minis in deliciously off colour combinations, it echoed and translated to the high street this season’s fixation with mashing up decade references perfectly. As promised, we were served up decadent cocktail hour ensembles ranging from opulently embellished black velvet frocks with matching court shoes – a little retro, a lot English, think drawing room elegance with a subversive edge to sheer lace shirt dresses worn over oversized knickers. Lady of the Manor lace and marabou feathers galore meets countryside inspired fabrics and Cool Brittania styled with “big hair” – the kind you see a lot of at British boarding schools – drop pearl earrings, and lashings of devil may care attitude; Topshop UNIQUE AW15 was nothing short of glorious.

Topshop UNIQUE AW15

Last but not least on my LFW AW15 day 3 agenda was the Belstaff presentation over in Clerkenwell. This was the incredibly chic Delphine Ninous’ first collection for Belstaff as Vice President of Women’s Design and, as I suspected after meeting her at the InStyle BAFTA party, Delphine is moving the much loved heritage brand in a much more stylised direction. A beautiful, slightly crumbling mansion bedecked with vintage parachute silks provided a sublime backdrop for this season’s line up of luxurious shearling, woven wool bouclé and glossy leathers alongside’s Belstaff’s signature weather-proof fabrics.

Belstaff AW15

The message was clear; besides being the ultimate purveyor of beautiful and functional outerwear, Belstaff is now a serious fashion player to be reckoned with.

Belstaff AW15

Love Ella. X