Designer A-Z

William Tempest

Spring/Summer 2010

By Nagar Ghahreman

The queue to get into William Tempest’s spring/summer 2010 show stretched around the block – remarkable for a show that is not even listed on the LFW schedule.

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But Tempest has recently been touted as one of London’s rising fashion stars, and after his latest collection it’s not hard to see why. This season he was inspired by everything from 1940s pin-up girls to Bond girls - cue models with Veronica Lake waves stalking the runway in dresses which referenced 1940s underwear. Stand-out looks included a thigh-skimming strapless dress in a black and white marble print, and a high-waisted skirt with an elongated bra top that flashed a hint of midriff. A 1980s (Bond’s heyday) slant also appeared in the silk jumpsuits, cropped jackets and body-con dresses with exaggerated shoulders, while long metallic evening gowns instantly reminded us of Dynasty’s Alexis Colby. But construction is still William Tempest’s strong point, and for spring it came as intricate pleating, cut-outs and exaggerated shouldered silhouettes in a palette of black, white, peach and grey.