Fashion East A/W 11

 

James Long is an established menswear designer who was persuaded by female fans to broaden into womanswear. The show opened with his debut womanswear collection. His collection has been named ‘punk mountain style’ His key look is Arran knitwear either crochet or soft and fluffy, matching the models crimped hair. Long tasselled ends on ankle length cardigans (Not easiest to walk in as one of the models tripped often).

Thigh high hems on skirts have strips of coloured jewels adding colour to the cream red and black yarns. Chunky knits were teamed with leather trousers. And the collection even contained a long slouchy poncho.

 

 

 

Elliot Atkinson’s collection was named a ‘chronological study of America through the ages’ which was clear in the styling choices with bolo ties on crisp white shirts and feathered embellishments on simple black dresses. Masculine tailored jackets inspired by the film ‘There will be Blood’ had slits in the elbows followed by fur sleeves.

 Again short hems were the theme. Voluminous shearling adorned the necks of a leather jacket as well as a pale lilac dress. The lilac appeared to come out of nowhere but was pulled into the collection with clever styling.

 

 

Simone Rocha was for me the most exciting collection. This was her second having graduated from the MA Womanwear in St Martins 2010. Simone played with masculine A-line jackets adding sheer panels, fur sleeves and backs, layered under nude sheer shirts with high collars, some with red gingham. Similar to Atkinson she too had slits in the elbows of her jackets and shirts.

 

Simone’s talent appears to be putting unexpected textures together and making them work. Chunky knits were encased with transparent nude fabrics giving the textures an even softer look. Pony skin jackets and trousers were also featured in this collection adding a new fur texture.

And finally the shoes, leather brogues gave the illusion that the model was walking just on her toes, it took me a second glance to notice the clear Perspex heals, making a statement of this truly modern and innovative collection.

Autumn/winter amongst these new designers is all about texture, contrasting sharp and soft all with basic rectangular shapes. A clear trend of native, western America is seen in all three of Fashion East’s collections, but thankfully not a cowboy boot in sight.

 

 

Emily Hatton-Smith