The style prominence of the shoulder next season (AW09) is indisputable. They are the body part that one should be flaunting come fall. No mistaking.

As a result, the bold shoulders that have sauntered down the catwalks, show after show, city after city, have been widely reported on in the media. Much has been made of their exaggerated appearances, geometric shapes and padded silhouettes.

One shoulder trend that seems to have slipped through the fashion net, however, is the embellished look.

Paul Smith draped shoulders in sparkly crystals and pearls that swung in tandem beautifully with the models strides, Holly Fulton (from Fashion East) and Roksanda Ilincic heavily encrusted their designs with jewels and sequins lending them an 80s TV soap feel. Jenny Packham took inspiration from the 1920s and from them hung fringes of beads that twinkled in the lights,while David Koma used metal adornment not unlike bullets to emphasize the natural curve of a bare shoulder. Embellishment huddled densely together by Peter Pilotto and Julien Macdonald had a feral feel, while Gemma Slack* cloaked shoulders with a stunning cage cape that appeared to be made out of a gold metal.

Embellishment, as many of the London Fashion Week designers have proven is an accessible way to tap into the pronounced shoulder trend this Autumn. It offers versatility, functionality and originality all in one tidy little package. Whereas it would be hard to imagine where or how one would wear a jacket that is akin to a Quarterbacker’s football kit in day to day life, a beaded shoulder will easily slot into any existing wardrobe. That’s not even the great news though! With an old garment, a trip to the local haberdasher and a little time, fashion has finally given us a wonderful trend that genuinely lends itself to an achievable DIY job. Let the sewing commence.

Edith

Top row, from left to right. Paul Smith, Holly Fulton, Roksanda Ilincic. Middle, Jenny Packham. Bottom row, from left to right: David Koma, Peter Pilotto, Julien Macdonald.

* Apologies, I couldn’t find a picture of this example.

h

Top row from left to right: Julien Macdonald, Ann-Sofie Back, Christopher Kane. Middle row from left to right: Vivienne Westwood, Topshop Unique, Giles. Bottom row from left to right: Richard Nicoll, Krystof Strozyna, Josh Goot.

Edith

Winter Florals: Anything (or any flower) goes here. Large, small, soft, bold, bright or subtle.

Space Odyssey: Think sci-fi graphic designs predominantly in reds and greys.

Top row from left to right: Marios Schwab, Danielle Scutt, Giles. Bottom row from left to right: Richard Nicoll, William Tempest, Topshop Unique

Edith

London:

New York:

Edith

Edith

Merkin embellishment:

Fancy hoods:

Fat black:

Scorched prints:

But which of these micro movements do you think will continue their reign on the catwalks to become a fully fledged trend?

Edith

So, after pondering for some days now on what I wanted to say about the NY shows it occurred to me that I didn’t really need to say anything. By my reckoning this post contains 4111 words already, highlighting beautifully the timely and industrial, rusty hues that will become a key colour in Autumn Winter 09/10.

Edith

Ddjhfjkhudsuuuuuut6y7ue eeeebdhjsssPU)cl;xz zzzzzzzzzz’. Oh, sorry! Seem to have dozed off there. Trying to keep track of what length my skirt should be and the cost per wear of any investment pieces I am thinking of purchasing has left me simply exhausted.

But, there is more to say on this subject then what’s currently being recycled in the media, which is “customers should look for investment pieces and value for money”. Well. Yes.

Jess Cartner-Morley, fashion editor at the Guardian explores this well excavated subject a little further in this article, lean times and hemlines. It’s a feature about how fashion will be affected by the credit crunch, in the aesthetic sense rather than a business one. She reflects upon the trends that emerged from the boom and bust times in recent history with a view of defining this economic crisis’ appearance. She draws no firm conclusions but she does highlight a couple of interesting theories including this one from Valerie Steele, internationally renowned Fashion Historian:

The hemlines theory was invented back in the 1920s. But it just doesn’t hold up. Take the 20s – hemlines actually began to fall in 1927, two years before the crash. They were falling by 1969, two years before the downturn of 1971

Contrary to popular belief it would seem that the ‘look’ of the great depression was actually a result of what was fashionable the two years prior to it.

Jess then goes on to quote Jo Hooper, Head of Womenswear at John Lewis. Hooper implies that the softer, sculpted, voluminous silhouette that is becoming popular will be the defining look of the recession. She identifies the current vogue for the round-shouldered look as:

cocooning, which is the feeling of wrapping up, of hunkering down. It’s a basic human instinct.

Both of these theories are very feasible. However never one to rest on my laurels, I decided to do some research of my own. Mystic Meg wouldn’t return my calls, so I settled for the next best thing: Mark Watson, the Womenswear Editor at trend forecasting agency WGSN. I asked him for his thoughts on what he felt the look of the credit crunch would be. This is the PG version of his email response:

The most obvious effect of ‘The credit crunch’ as we saw during Paris Fashion week is that most designers will march to their own tune, sticking to what they know best and satisfying customers who are loyal to their labels rather than putting their heads on the chopping block of fashion whimsies. What may be of interest is that prior to this financial crisis designers were focusing on the shoulder and the power dressing 80s particularly taking silhouettes from Thierry Mugler and Claude Montana. In times of a strong financial system there is a the ‘power’ look whilst we at WGSN are currently moving towards a more fantastical, ethereal feeling soft layers, a looser silhouette looking at Bill Gibb also Nina Ricci collection in Paris.

Reading these three very different responses from credible industry experts; it is obvious that defining what the aesthetic of the credit-crunch will be is no easy feat. Not least because there are no parallels to be drawn between ‘fashions’ from one recession to the next. Each financial crisis has been brought about by different economic factors, which therefore in turn mean consumer habits, circumstances and attitudes are unique to that period of time.

Nevertheless history will record that this recession had a ‘style’ just as it has done for the 1930s and 1970s, regardless of whether it was actually the result of the downturn.

So, lets try and put this subject to bed once and for all! Vote! VOTE! VOTE LIKE YOU ARE SHAPING TOMORROW! Because you are.

Edith

All images are SS09 from Style.com. In order of appearance: Balmain, Balenciaga, Nina Ricci

Apparently the answer to all of these questions is no. And so I, Ms Edith Purdy of the 82nd regiment from the 1st fashion battalion (I’ve been watching the new series of Sharpe), have come to put an end to this madness! There is a metallic movement emerging and recognise it we must!

Now before you all start sucking your teeth at me and declaring that metallic has been around for donkeys, that I need new specs (which I do) and don’t know squat about fashion, let me explain. I’m not talking about the kind of metallic that we see season after season on accessories. Or the type that strikes like a flu epidemic every winter in the form of sequins (when will they introduce a vaccination for that?). What I’m referring to is a completely different animal. It’s closer in aesthetic to the bra exposing molten gold look seen on Miuccia Prada’s catwalk this September, but in essence it is really about the technical specifications of the cloth rather than its magpie appeal.

Fabrics that are woven with a mixture of traditional fibres (cottons, linens, silks) and experimental materials (stainless steel, aluminum, etc) are becoming more widespread, no longer confined to the realms of Premiere Vision. This use of metal within cloth lends a beautiful and malleable quality, in addition to architectural possibilities and a wonderful sheen. I suspect that the stunning gold textiles that featured so prominently in Prada’s SS09 show were the result of something like brass being integrated with a natural yarn. The clothes have sculpted crinkles that can only really be achieved with that kind of textile construction.

At the moment there are a lot of clothes out there that are metallic in appearance (too many to even shake a very light stick at), but sadly most of them have no actual metal content so lack the beauty that a fabric of that nature possesses. You need to check the labels to make sure you’re getting the real deal (although it is possible to tell by the feel of the fabric) and consider the price too – materials that incorporate metal do not come cheap.

If you’re anything like me you’re reading this and thinking, “yeah well, that’s great. Herald Prada as a label of innovation. That has NEVER been done before. And I can’t afford fucking Prada. And it’s not even available until next year. And top that off with your great news that most stores don’t sell a version of it. GREAT WORK, EDITH!”. *Punch! Jab! Poke!*

Fear not, dear readers! I would never do that to you. I’ve found two options that will allow you to get the authentic metallic look now.

Net-a-Porter is stocking this silver Anna Sui dress, which is 50% linen, 42% cotton and 8% metallic. It’s reduced to £123.75* and well worth snapping up. With carefully chosen accessories it will look incredible. However, if you are looking for something that will harmonise more easily with your wardrobe (read: not make you look like a meat joint that’s ‘resting’ before it is to be carved) than ASOS have this classic navy blue Disaya dress priced at £152* in the sale. It’s 90% polyester and 10% metallic. The metallic element is in the form of thread that is used to decorate the textile, the result is more subtle and an easier way to adopt this look.

And now a disclaimer: it is obvious to everyone that the two-tone look that these metallic materials create is not revolutionary. These fabrics have their roots in the wet look / shimmery jeans that have been popularised in recent months because of labels such as Balmain and Givenchy. But, it is important to note that the quality that woven metal lends to a finished garment is unique. Whilst silver shiny leggings will continue to appeal to the masses for some time yet, this is a sophisticated leg up from that trend; and it’s a look in its own right that shouldn’t be pigeon-holed in the generic metallic category.

This metallic must be appreciated for what it is. An innovative, underground style trend with longevity. It’s ideal for thinking fashionistas everywhere. Those who won’t settle for anything less in life than gold.

Edith

P.s I am the only one who can’t stop singing going for gold now? TUNE!

*Prices were correct at the time of publishing

Before you cast aspersions and accuse me of wearing harem pants in all of these places, I must firstly assure you that t’was not I, then *waggle* my finger disapprovingly at you.

I first registered this foreign fad after seeing a spate of the said garment in Ronda. It seemed like a good idea (for professional research purposes of course) to keep track of how many I encountered on my journey. During a particularly lovely glass of vino rosado in the Albaicin region of Granada (all work and no play makes Edith a very dull fashionista indeed) I lost count somewhere after 20.

This of course got me musing somewhat incoherently. Few items of clothes are able to divide public opinion so venemently as the harem pant. So why has the harem pant become a hit with holidaymakers? NY, London, Milan and Paris are arguably the fashion capitals of the world and far more trend forward. And yet very few people are seriously seen rocking them on their streets. This, despite the major design houses pushing the look down the runways season after season, a flurry of bloggers discussing their merits month after month and fashion students promoting them in their graduate collections year on year. Thus far the slouchy, dropped crotch trouser that is the harem pant has eluded us, remaining inconspicuous in the street style stakes and failing to be adopted in any mainstream way.

It is obvious to most sane people (please note, I myself to not claim to be sane) why this is. As an item of clothing the harem pant is not flattering. Not in the slightest (mind you, that doesn’t always matter – the skinny jean movement it proof of that). At best you look stumpy and possibly flabby, and at worst like a dwarf with elephantiasis. The harem pant isn’t all-bad though. After all, they are definitely the prolapse friendly trouser. If your intestine happens to fall out of your arse you are definitely going to want to own a pair of these bad boys (along with a inflatable rubber ring).

However, I don’t believe that all of the holidaymakers I saw in Spain have had the displeasure of a vital organ slipping out of place. So by golly there must be another reason for this unfathomable craze!

Another 2 glasses of vino rosad0 later , I realised there is… And it’s simple! The joy of a vacation is that it’s a break from your everyday life. You don’t have to go to work, clean your house or eat your 5 a day. And that dear Watson is the crucial element to the harem pants winning formula. You see, very few people could wear this style of trouser to work and not feel self-conscious or worse, inappropriately dressed. But once abroad the harem trouser fulfills almost every holiday specification you could ever have. They are a stark contradiction to the normal working wardrobe, they are light and comfortable, and finally they couldn’t possibly make you look any worse if they crease in transit. DO. YOU. SEE. THE. PURE. SWEET. FRICKIN. GENIUS. OF. THEM. NOW?

This frankly startling realisation combined with the wise words of Queen Michelle from Kingdom of Style about the harem pant has me convinced that they truely are fashion greatness personified!

“whenever I see ladies rocking these ‘difficult’ trousers I am simply filled with awe and admiration at their balls for laughing in the face of conventional ideas of ‘sexy’ and doing their own thing.”

I’m now absolutely convinced that I need a pair! These ones from Topshop fit the bill perfectly; they’re a bargainous £22. Obviously I won’t be wearing them to pound the streets of London just yet, I’ll save their first outing until my next trip abroad. But until then I am strangely comforted by the knowledge that should I manage to accidentally dislodge an organ from inside my body in the mean time, I’ll be suitably attired to deal with the situation. Edgy with medical benefits? No wonder harem pants are all the rage.

Edith