Designer Diary: Melt London – Panic Alert!
09-02-2008
Silent
prayers are muttered as retailers flick through the rails. We read deep
significance into their every gesture and facial tick. Did that smile mean they
were happy or sneering? Was the hesitation over the long coat positive or
negative? Is it a good omen that notes were made, or is that merely code for
look again next season?
Melt
London has a new agent, a new P.R. and a shiny new stand later this month, at
Paris sur mode. Maybe all of the “new” in that sentence is the root cause of my
current panic attack?
Usually
I love “new” it’s fresh, it’s exciting, it adds a frisson to life, and mostly
it just represents those must-have, but frivolous, shoes, bags and holidays
essential to my well-being. But, unlike my casual purchases, these will not be
the kind of merchandise that I can return for a quick refund in Selfridges.
It
must be very hard work to fit an exhibition stand and a couple of human beings
in a carrier bag, however large and glossy. So now we are an alliance. Melt
provides the fabulous collection, Flair provides the fabulous orders, and we
all live happily ever after on planet fashion.
Be
still my beating heart and butterfly stomach as we are due our moment in time,
and looking at winter 08 I believe this is it. It’s our best ever range, each
piece is beautifully finished, every seam is satin bound, every binding and
piping is perfectly set, we are buttoned up and ready to go.
Panic
over, in my world Percival really does love Doris, ok he remains a coat, and
she is a silk cami, but who wants reality when instead we can have fashion?
By
Susan Royston
Creative
Director of Melt London
