Eastern Wonders and Winter Blooms

Frocks and tops for this season

Way back in February, whilst we dared dream of an imminent, perhaps even warm summer, London’s  fashion gods were sending coat clad models down the catwalk in their AW12/13 collections.

Those with a penchant for clothes have something to celebrate- preparations for the season to come:  coats, capes and hoods and a generous dose of AW 12 trends which will colour and embellish the long months ahead.

Perhaps as an honourable end to a rather British 2012, primary shades of cobalt blue were a reoccurring feature of the AW12 collections. Royal blues coloured oversize coats at Comme des Garçon and London’s Vivienne Westwood shaded heads in cobalt toned hoods. Hackney’s Louise Gray preferred cobalt dresses and details, in spiral and zigzag motifs.

Next up on the colour wheel for AW12/13 were all shades of purple and muted indigos. Purple leopard print came courtesy of Hackney’s Christopher Kane and was paired with black hems and details for a 90s semi-goth vibe: part of a popular nostalgia for the era of Britpop and cult movies.

House of Holland, known for its forward thinking street-come-designer aesthetic, clashed purple, fuschia and red for a hyper-saturated  take on dogtooth print and stripes.

Designers looked further east than Hackney to an oriental aesthetic, drawing on kimono cuts and sash-tied waists.  Metallic motifs in silver and golds were approached with bold audacity at Balmain and Osman. A preference for stacked platforms lives on into next season.

To help keep the spirits high through the dark months winter blooms were splashed across evening coats and dresses, proving that floral is not exclusively a summer pattern. Deep blue,  scarlet and gold brought vitality to the naturally  brooding winter collections.

Make haste to your local charity shop, vintage emporium or designer boutique and dabble in some inspired dressing.