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Ciao Di,
London is looking fabulous. It is warm and sunny and full of lovely things.
My first stop was Liberty, one of my favourite shops in London. They always have a great overview of the current season. Their accessories section is truly fabulous. The handbags are big, quilted with heavy chain handles. Most designers are showing black with lots of gathering and details. There are smatterings of colour raspberry, dark green and brown. Ankle boots are every where with all toe shapes. Liberty has a great selection of one of my favourite designers, Dries van Noten. I spotted a green sequinned scarf I absolutely loved but at £300, I decided to leave it behind.
From Liberty I wandered down Regent St and into Conduit St then into Mayfair. Marc Jacobs has a new shop in Mount St. I usually love Marc Jacobs, but I thought the collection here quite conservative. Once again the handbags were all large, quilted with chain handles. I didn't need any of them.
After Marc Jacobs I went through the beautiful Mount St Gardens, a delightful little oasis hidden behind the shops. Then I headed through Berkley Square with its lovely old trees to Dover St Market the wonderfully eclectic shop set up by the designers from Comme de Garcon. It is four floors of interesting contemporary clothing and accessories. On the top floor is a tiny cafe with delicious food.
The shop itself is wonderfully quirky and the clothes are mostly black and very edgy. Next door to Dover St market is John Rocha's new shop set in a 300-year-old pub. His clothes are beautiful, in shades of black, nude, oyster. His fabrics are delicate silks and satins in soft shapes with lots of sleeve detail. I loved everything.
From here it was on to Bond St. First stop DKNY where I made my first purchase a pair of flat (of course) black biker boots. Biker chic is a popular look this season with soft leather jackets. I'll just have the boots.
Alexander McQueen is having another fabulous season. His tailoring is superb and his fabrics exquisite. I saw a pair of gold, python stiletto boots. Oh to be young (and rich, with extremely long legs). There was a shearling mini, and my favourite piece, a Morticia Adams long black dress with a train and a beaded tuxedo collar. He is a clever man.
At Prada I saw the best shaped boot in black patent with a killer heel and a soft point toe.
Max Mara always does beautiful coats. This year is no exception. There was black, of course, camel and chocolate with lovely draping.
An interesting accessory was feathered collars resembling American Indian dream catchers.
Ralph Lauren there was a beautiful hunt collection with putty coloured jodhpurs with chocolate and olive chunky knits. For evening wear they showed a gorgeous subdued metallic and a midnight blue in a mixture of velvet and satin. All this in what is surely one of the most beautiful shops in the world.
On to South Molton St and Browns. This is an interesting shop with lots of levels. Marni was my favourite here. This collection looks much better in the flesh than in the photos. The shapes are similar to last season with subtle differences in colours and textures. They do much copied boxy shapes.
Back to Oxford St to packed footpaths. Mayfair was almost empty but this was absolutely swarming with people. Selfridges is a wonderful department store but it was too busy and I think I had had enough so it deserves another trip.
Trends are biker chic, tunics and smocks (again or still) sweater dresses, knit everything, ankle boots and big bags. Colours black, pillar box red, purple and green.
That is it for now. Next stop Kensington.
Deb
Singapore
Three distinct color palettes showing
Black, white and red
Black, white and emerald
Coffee, caramel and orange
Shapes and looks
Empire lines & hi waisted dresses still strong
Baby doll dresses in ombre silks coffee color palette
Soft silk crushed georgette hi neck sleeveless dresses (think races, weddings)
Kimono sleeve long line tops with multi wrap belts
Kaftan tops in ombre silk
Quilted cropped leather jackets (this was very you Di)
Leather dress with belt and quilting on shoulders - really stood out even Con noted it
Pants long and lean or wide leg with cuff
Tops cut away sleeveless with high tie at the necks finishes lots of prints here
Lot of heavy black beads on high necks very sexy
Coats - shiny polyesters with belt and long wide belt loops, elongated cuffs and box pleats. Can double up as a coat dress with boots (I couldnt resist I bought one of these for next year) - main colors here black and a deep choc (nearly black)
Jackets have a lot of hardware on them as in chunky leather belts with either brass or gold buckles. Belts also quilted on jackets.
Jackets - gold buttons, gold zips and gold buckles - this looked really good in the white and the red very Gold Coast
Tees Black, gray and off white showing lots of graphics (Dan your designer tee shirt is spot on for next year)
Accessories- Everything shiny is an accessory. Patent shoes, patent bags, patent belts and even patent crop swing jackets in red and black. Very cute a lot of the ZARA product comes with the belt. Bags are rouched and big; lots of totes;
Basics-
Great tees basic crew and V-neck also rouched bust front all short sleeve
Cant tell you much about shoes as all stores were still showing a lot of summer slides (bought 3). Zara had a great flat knee length suede boot and a fab patent leather flat lace up shoe loved it - might get that for myself on my trip next week.
Well, ladies, I hope that is enough info. I have checked the ZARA website and they are still showing their summer collection. Ill keep checking it to see if they change over before I leave. Failing this, I will see if their catalogue is in store on my return.
Di, MANGO looked fantastic as well!! The Australians who are running it here have really missed a lot of the really good looks they are doing. They are not as sophisticated as ZARA but were showing some fab knitwear pieces. Their color palettes were similar to ZARA but MANGO is still showing yellow.
Speak soon,
B xxxxxxxx
