Monday, February 21, 2011

Best of London Fashion Week

Mulberry FW11

by Grace Gordon

Mulberry returned to their hometown of London to much fanfare. This brand has become an accessories power-house, but die-hard fans remember the days when they showed strong, sophisticated collections filled with polished pieces. This show hearkens back to those days.

A moody current ran through the heart of the show which tempered this collection of earth-toned separates and coats with a bit of angst. This collection reminds one of a well-kept schoolgirl walking home alone through the streets of post-war Britain. This is Ali McGraw in Love Story if it had been set in London. Unassuming low-key hair and makeup lent a sense of understated youthfulness to this collection.

Some of the best pieces were: a utilitarian jumper with big hip pockets, toppers buttoned modestly to the throat and finished with a skinny belt, ruffled jabots that danced down the bust of sweet print dresses, knee-high socks paired with clunky 70s mules, tiered skirts, maxi dresses and oversize scarves. The navy blazer and skirt decorated with rows of enormous gold buttons was a real scene-stealer. The show finished with eight black dresses, each more exciting than the next.

It was thrilling to see Mulberry command their collection with such dexterity – not as if they were regaining something they had lost, but as if they were peeling back the layers to reveal what was there all along.