LFW Saturday 15th Septemeber 2007

Gavin Douglas, Harrods

At 10 o’clock on Saturday morning, the excessive champagne quaffing last night seems worse than ill-advised. I have a horrendous hangover and keep feeling that Im going to fall over. However there are clothes to be seen and people to meet so onwards with trusty nurofen.
Gavin Douglas, a former fashion fringe winner was showing in a warehouse type space around the corner form Harrods. Harrod’s fashion talent initiative sponsored the show, making Douglas on in a long line of commercial partnerships forged by the store which included the early collections of Galliano, Roland Mouret and Philip Tracey.

Initially the most striking thing about the audience was the prevalence of young children. As fashion week has fallen over the weekend, throughout the day more and more children began to appear. I was sitting opposite a cherubic boy of about five who behave perfectly throughout. The family feeling was actually a really good antidote to the normal mania replacing some normality to this surreal week.

As far as the collection was concerned, it was really rather good. Now I’m not going to go too far, but there is no doubt that Douglas has talent. This collection was full- on-in-your-face glamour and honestly seemed out of place in London. Douglas’ aesthetic would be much better suited to the Milanese fashion week.

Blonde, red and brunette bombshells strutted down the catwalk with side swept Hollywood curls echoing nostalgic references to 50s glamour. The collection started off with a more subtle approach to Bling with cream gold and oyster silks pleated into skirts and mini dresses. A perfectly cut trench followed, establishing that Douglas has the skill to produce a classic. The collection moved up a gear and we were on our way to high octane fashion. Douglas’ muse was most obviously Marilyn Monroe (whose image was printed on several items in the collection- perhaps a little obvious), but there was J-Lo and in there too. Oversized gold jewellery abd belts and buckles festooned dresses. Indeed belts were a central feature to the collection as they were used as strap across the back or even interwoven to create the dress itself.

Another silhouette explored was the standard image of the 50s- a waspish waist extending to a full skirt. A visually impressive skyscraper print adorned on and tiny waist clinchers were made of patent and denim. Doulas also experimented with texture, showcasing ruffles, frou frous and feathers, contrasting them with the denim and patents. Occasionally this was taken to far and the ensuing garment looked more like a GCSE art collage. However the final jewel encrusted mini dresses brough him right back to form as the huge gems glistened in the lights. I’d wager Doulas is one to keep an eye out for.

Julie Verhoeven for Mulberry Pop-Up store opening

After convincing myself that a taxi far was too much of an indulgence, I decided to brave the tube to make my way to the new Mulberry ‘pop up’ store on Westbourne Grove (the nature of the pop-up store will be revealed imminently). In retrospect this was schoolgirl error. As ever I underestimated the journey time by, oh about 45 minutes, and rendered myself stressed and ‘glowing’ (subscribing to the notion that only horses sweat…).

This was LFW at its most farcical. The tiny store was decorated with Julie Verhoeven’s exquisite illustrations which were emblazoned across a kaftans, handbag, and..maybe a scarf..? I say maybe because the struggle to actually enter the store/box room was matched only by the tussle required to see any of the actual products.

The drinks and goody bags were long gone but the whole room remained uncomfortably rammed as the party spilled out on the street. As far a sartorial trends were concerned there was a prevalence of Chloe S/S07 shoes and platforms in general. The leather ankle boot trend has also been picked up by the fashion-pack. Leather jackets and high waisted jeans teamed with the aforementioned footwear has been seen everywhere- I’d go so far to say as it has become a new uniform .

Journalists and hangers-on were dancing somewhat manically to the music provided by a DJ crammed into one corner and revellers were sipping mini-Moets through what looked to be Swarovski crystal funnels. This fabulous funnel unfortunately had the potential to undermine the style of the user as I viewed a very well dressed gent misjudging the distance between his mouth and the funnel…Oh gleeful schadenfreude..

To add further to comedy the walls were padded in sumptuous cream fabric. Utter claustrophobic madness and a lesson well learnt.