Jacob Kimmie
What a difference to what we’ve been used to. Rather than a show, Jacob Kimmie gave us an exhibition of their collection with still models throughout two rooms. Despite Jacob Kimmie being a personal fave of ours, we are now in love even more with SS11. After ascending the 3 flights of stairs, we we’re embraced by tranquil music, sensual lighting and a dolly mixtures of models from all walks of life and types of make up. A kaleidoscopic palette took shape in one shoulder silk dresses and 3/4 sleeve maxis. Both of which fell from the body like waterfalls. The menswear were tapered trousers in cream black matched with vests and intricate shoulder pieces. This fashion repeated itself in the form of masks on the female models. One particular model’s was more of a head mask with crimson lips peeking the holes. With a long waterfall gown flowing behind her, she looked like a goddess. The collection then took a twist with two particular models dressed like ice maidens. Another intricate mask disguising one side of a model’s face followed with a silk a line dress with cut out detail on the shoulders. Teamed with opaque white tights and ivory boots we had just met the ice maiden of SS11. Towards the exit acting as the final piece of the collection was a model wearing an amazing cropped trouser one piece. If you thought you had seen power shoulders, Jacob Kimmie took this one step further and took the intricate designs of the mask and applied this to the shoulders in asymmetric fashion. Accompanied by more intricate accessories the lines of this design were still kept clean and elongated. This collection on the whole had a big thumbs up!! There wasn’t any desperation for it to start with models already on display, and no desire for it to finish as you were free to leave once you had absorbed enough of imaginative yet wearable Jacob Kimmie SS11.

Hannah Marshall

Bernard Chandran SS11 Show
If Cleopatra were to be in a 1920s Speakeasy that was on the moon, you’d be looking at the inspiration for Bernard Chandran’s SS10 collection. Fluid silks and elongated lines looked stunning against a musical backdrop mixed by Kanye West’s old chum, Mr Hudson. Muted nude colour palettes might be a strong direction for next season, but Chandran accented this with sequinned embellishment and a lot of leg. With a few accidental boob flashes, the show generally flew by without a hitch. Chandran championed both sleek long silhouettes and high hem lines, accessorised by woven wicker box bags and stonking great platforms. The collection also showed the evolution of this season’s full skirts by leading the way to a lampshade skirt shape (with a few lampshade shoulders thrown into the mix too). Cute details such as massive pockets and envelope-style sleeves were all common denominators in an overall very wearable collection.

Felder + Felder