Designer A-Z

House Of Holland

Autumn/Winter 2012

By Sarah Bonser

Is Henry Holland all grown up? The House of Holland designer peppered his trademark cheek with pieces that looked downright demure—or at least relatively so, for the man who brought us bingo prints and acid python.

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The looks started bright and poppy. Narrow-striped flares in Fruit Gems hues gave way to chevron-knit cardigans and one eye-popping red flared boiler suit. A series of pieces printed with an overblown houndstooth amplified the graphic theme. But then the check sleekened, playing over coats and dresses that were more princess than party girl.

The designer called it ‘Mork and Mindy meets the Tour de France’, but we detected an Austin Powers plus Mod Squad air. By the final look—an ankle-grazing gown with that crucial houndstooth reconstituted in sequinned patches—every woman in the audience had a favourite piece.

Taking it all in were HoH stalwarts Alexa Chung , Pixie Geldof and Nick Grimshaw , this time joined by Chung’s fellow British Fashion Council Ambassador Poppy Delevingne and Chanel faithful Leigh Lezark . The big news is that right beside and behind these hot young things, more august editors—the type who might have shied away from previous collections—were hanging on to every look. And they all bopped along to Azealia Banks.