At the end of an eventful fashion month, our Fashion Director Anne-Marie Curtis charts her favourite shows of the season.
Prada
"The Prada Autumn Winter '16 collection followed on from Miuccia's pre-fall outing with this idea of displacement and travel. It felt chaotic, but in a mannered way. Miuccia does controlled chaos so well. This sense of finding various things and adding them as you go. But there was also a lot of sex in there as well: the laced up boots, corseted waists and the sailor hats in particular all paired with tough hiking boots and argyle hosiery. The Prada woman is stomping along, running the world. It's Girl Power, Miuccia style."
Dries Van Noten
Balenciaga
"It appears Balenciaga has finally managed to recapture the excitement that surrounded it during the golden Nicolas Ghesquiere years — especially impressive in a season plagued with a certain amount of collective despair over the state of things in the industry. In a way, Demna Gvsalia is the face of the broken fashion system. This is a rising star who has been able to emerge out of the chaos to create something energising and new. The future doesn’t look so bleak after all."
Marc Jacobs
Simone Rocha
"Simone Rocha's Autumn Winter '16 show was a masterclass in segueing bold new ideas into her much lauded signature style. So think sweeping tweed coats with drop shoulder detail layered over tulle dresses; satin drop waist dresses with a 30s mood; and black tulle layered over dogtooth checks. And the shoes...almost every look showcased a different pair all equally desirable. All this only three months after giving birth to her first child, motherhood has only added to her creativity."
Céline
Maison Margiela
"The Maison Margiela collection was a high octane statement that in John Galliano's masterful hands felt right on the money for the overriding maximilist mood of the season. His eccentric, artful take on the idea included military mixed with sequins and florals mashed up with knits. Teamed with glam rock glitter platforms and multi coloured hiking boots, it was a slam dunk knockout from beginning to end."
Louis Vuitton
Erdem
"Inspired by Daphne du Maurier's most famous creation, Rebecca, complete with a sumptuous set re-imagining the gothic, frayed decadence of Manderley, Erdem's Autumn Winter '16 show moved on from last season's prairie mood to something more decadent and darker. Think gold lame, richly embroidered flowers laid over black tulle, and exquisite inlaid lace dresses fit for modern Mrs De Winters and Rebeccas alike. Rich pickings indeed.'
