MARY KATRANTZOU AW14 COLLECTION She may have been dubbed the digital print queen by way of her hypnotising design USP of seasons past, but Mary Katrantzou took a refreshing detour this season. Dizzying print work was replaced by symbols that held a deeper meaning; school badges, medals, clock faces, a coat of arms all made an appearance, intricately embroidered onto fuzzy sweatshirts, patchworked onto maxi skirts and running down pleated gowns to resemble a holy vestment. Suits cut in jacquard are set to become the fashion set’s new favourites, and one in particular – a bird-print skirt suit with pleated gym-skirt – demanded attention. Delicate slips dresses with hook straps featured a metal mesh adorned with gold-tone hearts, squares and pearls, tricking onlookers into believing they were admiring an art installation. Well, we were certainly in awe. TEMPERLEY LONDON AW14 COLLECTION Temperley London may hail from the leafy enclaves of Somerset, but, designer Alice Temperley didn’t stick to the quiet side for autumn/winter ’14. Bringing her signature decorative style to the table, Byzantine architecture-inspired prints were splashed across unbuttoned coats, tightly belted at the waist. Pretty skirt suits were updated with a boxier silhouette, while stained glass-imitating laser prints prettily played out across red carpet worthy dresses. New for this season, however, was the concept of layering luxe evening looks: an oversize fur stole in a fluffy peach hue was breathtaking over a shawl and barely there gown; while neck scarves, outerwear and shawls daubed in striking floral prints were the accessory du jour to seek protection from the winter chill. Just perfect. RICHARD NICOLL AW14 COLLECTION As blue emerges to be the hue of the hour for next season, Richard Nicoll didn’t hold back in feeding our appetite for the coldest shade-gone-hot. School girl attire-gone-haute was the message here, […]

Braving the gusty elements, Team MFL trekked to Somerset House (and beyond) for day two of London Fashion Week fashtivities. Well, given today’s stellar schedule, cosying up indoors and living vicariously through Style.com just wasn’t an option! Winter work wear woes went straight out the window at Holly Fulton, this morning, as the ideal “working girl” made her way down the runway. Etching the collection purely from her experience as a working woman – but one with a head for serious, workable fashion – Fulton gave us masculine coats imprinted with stunning motifs; sheath dresses and fluid pencil skirts featuring kookily enlarged mobile phone bearing hand motifs – avec perfecto manicured nails, of course. A nod to the “corporate cog” came courtesy of a glittery knit printed with the aforementioned  component, while mini briefcases and stacked bangles alluded to Fulton’s ability to create magic with her hands, literally. Effortlessly moving from a black to grey palette, Joseph is the go-to label for those channelling fashion’s new comfort-led direction. The autumn/winter 2014 presentation promised chill-proof staples with that rooted for masculine allure. Long-line, voluminous knits sat atop perfectly tailored pants, while the sharpness of a suit blazer was tempered with pleated skirts, pussy-bow blouses and touches of mid-Western fringing sliced in black leather. A coordinating trio of peg leg pants, oversize knit and beanie hat broke away from the neutral colour trail, but otherwise, this collection is an easy- goers dream come true. Possibly the dreamiest of designers when it comes to this side of the pond; this season, Emilia Wickstead reminded us of those dark, wintry nights we refuse to embrace with ease. The show notes referenced “Film Noir”, and we got exactly that: a clear vision of what winter’s dangerously stylish woman will look like, come September. From a […]