Going to a fashion show, especially one held in a club- is like starring in a show yourself. Everyone is immaculately dressed and as guests wait patiently for the show start they too make their own judgements on the outfit choices of others. As I waited for the ON|OFF Preview Spring/Summer 08 show – held on Aug 1 at the CC Club in London – to start, two guys behind me were having a ball checking out individuals and exclaiming “Ooh I love what she’s wearing etc etc. I too am one of those people. I love to observe. Unfortunately I don’t like to be observed. So I was very pleased when after half an hour of eyes darting back and forth towards me On|Off’s creative director Lee Lapthorne announced the show would finally be starting.
We were to be treated to two presentations filled with sneak previews of the Spring/Summer 08 collections from designers, Aman Copeland, Peter Pilotto, Jerry Ribbon, Richard Sorger, Pyrus, Aminaka Wilmont, Hannah Marshall and Deryck Walker. The evening was being filmed by the BBC and was basically a taster to whet our appetites for the impending fashion week.
It did the job. I left feeling very excited after being treated to a variety of looks, from embellished flapper dresses to the most wonderful head pieces. Volume and bold colour were kept to a minimum with many designers favouring slim silhouettes and black and white over brighter bold block colours. Focus was on the detail. The most debateable look of the evening for me was the knee high socks. I suspect socks are going to be a big deal next summer and while I’m not keen on the idea I have to admit they had a slight appeal when paired with a knee length dress and heels. Yes I left excited. Bring on fashion week!
