Multicultural London flexed its fashion muscles yesterday with shows from Brazilians, Indians, Croatians and Romanians joining UK heavyweights like Betty Jackson, Ghost and Jasper Conran on the catwalk calendar. Trends were equally diverse.
The zaniest collection by far was from Richard Nicoll, a young Australian who set up his own label in London three years ago. One of the new generation designers sponsored by Top Shop, his show took place in a stunning modern glass building near Victoria and its light, sunny location echoed the spirit of the clothes.
Formal dress shirts, all tails, cuffs and pintucking, formed the centrepiece of a foxy collection that mixed fabrics like Swiss voile, herringbone tweed and Kelly green corduroy in playful ways. Bras in tweed or cord were harnessed for decorative effect over shirts. Trousers were mostly drainpipes, and where there were skirts, they were short and gathered up in soft folds. An overshirt translated into white voile with bell sleeves became romantic and flattering while drummer boy jackets looked sexy in coal black sequins or in tweed with lace overlays. Playboy Bunnies came to mind occasionally as models with flying ponytails, black spotted tights and bobble shoes swung up and down the runway. Nicoll's stand was packed after the show.
On a darker note Jasper Conran showed a more sombre side with a collection in which suits of thunder grey cashmere or black Venetian wool, sharp, severe and shapely, were all about women who mean serious business. Taking cues from the rigour of formal equestrian dress, he whipped black leather into accordion pleats, cropped white jodhpurs into skintight breeches, scooped necks from fitted dresses and added flirty fantails to skirts. Hair was scraped into place, but the tilted black felt trilbies added a rakish note.
Betty Jackson, on the other hand, took a different approach, delving into big, standaway shapes in fat strawberry boucles that loomed like tents around the models. Her shift in Schiaparelli pink lamé and trapeze coat with frills were unexpected.
Ghost by Tanya Sarne, another UK success story, tackled the Edwardian silhouette of taut jacket and long skirt and gave it a more spectral modern twist that was elegant and womanly. Using her familiar fluid fabrics, colours included plum, Chinese red and black. High waists, a definite trend for next winter, appeared on skirts and even jeans which she teamed with long cardigans in soft velvets.
