Wednesday 19 September 2012

Meadham Kirchoff's very Versaille fancy for S/S13

LFW is truly the home of creative and unique style innovation. Yesterday saw such an outing which yet again cements London as the epicentre to which trendsetters flock.
Christened 'A cautionary tale', the Spring/Summer '13 lovechild of Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchoff was a sight to remember, even for a brand so allied with fun and kitsch as this. As always, the Kirchoff show was full of frills, fancy and opulence, this time captured under the guise of french period costume, but above all an inherent sense of playfulness.
                                                                              
The colour palette of this collection is best described as sporadic, but the combination of colours in each look really does work. It is this collection's zany, eclectic feeling that binds it together as a whole, rather than pulls it apart, and really feels under pinned by the brand values. Loving the stark white contrast with the acid yellow tulle and royal blue bows: the sparks of colour really offsets the crisp white structure of the dress coat, putting the tailoring, not the embellishment, in the foreground. 
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Those shoes are to die for- need them in my life. Yet again you can see the designers' aptitude for taking the level of opulent detail to the very edge of embellishment, but through their careful use of colour, keeps it looking 'fashion' not 'carnival'.
#ChandelierShoe
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With this particular look, I love the layering, I'm feeling this is gonna be a key trend following through from winter to next spring. It really makes me want to go through on a blouse with a cute shirt underneath- such an easy look, yet so effective and on trend. The mixture of feminine and masculine reflects the two designer's disciplines, both in menswear and womenswear at Central St Martins. The preppy black gingham print and collar juxtaposed against the floral fabric and opulent accessories creates a style that is entirely kitsch, entirely fun, and entirely Meadham Kirchoff. 
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If I had an acid yellow lace playsuit I would wear it until it fell off me. Feels very 80's Lacroix with hints of Dolce and Gabbana, which is pretty unavoidable when using embellished lace nowadays I guess.
#Gimme
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ZOOOOOM. Here you can really see the high level of quality and craftsmanship that has gone into this piece. The appliqued lace kind of reminds me of tiny starfish, and even though the idea of being covered in tiny yellow sea creatures really creeps me out, I'm just gonna roll with it for the sake of fashion. 
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This look really works on the trends we have A/W 12- with opulence, brocade, lace, bows and my all time favourite thing FEATHERS, still playing a big part come spring 2013. This makes me and my long suffering bank manager mucho happy. 
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The 80s clearly hold some sway over these two designers- really feeling the comeback of power shoulders next season. The somewhat masculine shape is set off by the bows and flowers peeping under the waistline of the jacket. Detail is the watchword of this collection.
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It is through this contrast of extreme, almost costume-like fashions and wearable looks like this, that these two designers' show their talent. This look is wearable but at the same time so now. Also I can't look at this image without being drawn to the trousers- such a perfect look to go into winter, and into spring next year. The cut is impeccable, I really doubt I'll find such a pair on the high street, but a girl can dream. 
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My all time favourite look of this collection, the fab bows, perfect hat, 80's silhouette and power shoulders and killer pins, all of which are bedazzled with the prettiest embellishment Somerset house has been party to this season, really makes this the standout style. A powerful and oh so on trend look which will clearly be at the forefront of the minds of both fashion editors and bloggers alike.
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A little bit of gratuitous zoom action. I love this skirt; the feathers and embellishment really make it snazzy but more importantly for me, wearable on a night out down town.
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I always feel that the collection has been successful if one can come across a look in a magazine and instantly know who its creator is. In that respect, this collection has definitely hit the bulls-eye, but for me, it is clearly a standout season for these two very talented boys. I think Women's Wear Daily's description of the collection as Marie-Antoinette-in-the-Street really sums up this vibrant, eclectic show, and really cements Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchoff as the ones to watch.
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#Brand timeline- http://www.vogue.co.uk/brand/meadham-kirchhoff
#Watch the show- http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/highlights.aspx?seasonid=32&Seasonday=2012-09-18&Day=&videoid=455
#Office webby- http://www.meadhamkirchhoff.com/

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