A Havana Haven? Temperely London

I thought you might like a sneak preview of some of the catwalk shows I saw at London Fashion Weekend, I’ll start with my all time favourite – Temperley London.

Fashion design is a conundrum. It needs to be fresh and new to intrigue, but still wearable. So often when viewing shows, I can celebrate the spectacle, marvel at the workmanship and applaud the ideas, but rarely do I long to wear an item. That said, I literally fell head over heels for Alice Temperley’s SS16 collection for Temperley London. Maybe it’s because she designs with little regard for trend? She says: “My customer is not a slave to trends but confident with her own look. She needs an all-encompassing functional yet ‘spirited’ wardrobe that takes her from day to night and transcends the seasons.” The show consisted of intricate handiwork, decorative embellishment and an abundance of embroidery. The shapes were modern, but with a bohemian twist.

It was the colourful embroidery that dominated this show. It opened with an array of casual crisp white sundresses which were covered, head to toe, with pastel embroidery. Limes greens, pinks and turquoise grounded by the colour black took centre stage. In contrast, black was also a base for the carnival like embroidery with vibrant pinks and oranges as highlights. Flowers and foliage were the motifs depicted, and techniques included cutwork and embroidered mesh.

Amidst the colourful embroidered dresses were a few with simple monochrome embroidery, which were equally stunning.

All the styles were worn with the same gladiator sandals in either white or black. They were utterly simple and complimented the extravagance of the handiwork, without distracting from the beauty of the garments. The cord wound its way up the calf to the knee. Several of the outfits sported thigh high splits in the skirt to reveal the sandals beneath.

Alice gave us innovative shapes. Ruffles were key, particularly in the sleeve. They were also playfully used on dress hemlines and to give skirts volume. The off-the-shoulder bardot looked stunning in print and revealed just that little hint of skin. Plunging V necklines featured in metallics and on embellished evening dresses, adding a touch of glamour. Mismatched prints also featured and added to the overall eclectic, vintage inspired feel of the show but didn’t rule.

In her 16^th year of Temperley London, Alice has delivered an utterly wearable and desirable collection, the essence of which makes me wish I could transport myself to some tropical island or maybe even the Cuban capital Havana itself?

Photos Rod Leon.