Betina – Stylitz

With the fashion crowd moving onto the final week of catwalks and the first shows in Paris about to begin, I thought it high time I not only posted a blog (apologies about the huge gap in posts – it was a summer of filming abroad) but also filled you in on what I saw at London Fashion Week this month.

My sparkly Kurt Geiger sliders have an outing at London Fashion Week SS15

Whilst the catwalk shows attract the most media attention, I also like to peruse the designer stands in the stunning Somerset House, looking closely at the collections that have just been shown and speaking to new up-and-coming designers. Despite dedicating over 3 hours to this I only managed to cover one floor this season, focusing on contemporary and emerging talent. Sadly for all shoe lovers I didn’t quite manage the accessories hall. Here is a virtual tour of the designers that stood out for me and what to expect for Spring Summer 2015 (all website details at end of page).

Flying the flag for London

First up the lovely Jean-Pierre Braganza whose SS15 show I also attended this season. A fantastic collection with his signature mix of masculine tailoring, quirky print and fabulous outerwear. Expect monochrome with a little added sparkle. A quick five min chat with the man himself revealed that he had slept a total of six hours in three nights in the lead up to the show. Ouch!

Designs from Jean-Pierre Braganza SS15 (above) and as seen on the catwalk (below)

Another favourite Fyodor Golan pulled out all the stops with neon colouring, oversized sequins and dramatic floral applique. Definitely not one for the faint-hearted, expect to see these designs on celeb fans Rita Ora and Katy Perry pronto.

The delightful Georgia Hardinge showed me around her collection for next Spring, which featured clever architectural-inspired pleating and intricate silk prints, in a particularly strong palette of cornflower blue and chartreuse. Along with five others, Georgia was chosen for this years BFC Contemporary initiative, which included creating a capsule collection for eBay to coincide with Fashion Week. Expect many more exciting collaborations ahead.

For those who like their clothing of a Scandi persuasion, the simplicity and clean lines of Swedish brand Deitas should appeal.

Voluminous shapes and luxury fabrics and prints stand out at Fitriani. I love this beautiful collection!

The prints in the Yuzzo London collection really caught my eye. Subtle and pretty, with an Eastern influence, these gorgeous pieces would work well in any wardrobe.

Next up is Zoe Jordan, also chosen for this years BFC Contemporary Initiative. Her use of abstract print, geometric lines and cracked leather makes for a feminine look with an urban edge. This collection was inspired by Berlin and her printed leather dress (as seen below) was spotted on Poppy Delevigne that same week.

Next the urban sport luxe designs of Jamie Wei Huang caught my eye. I was meant to attend this show but sadly couldn’t make it. The unusual use of colour and texture and the quirky menswear detailing make this collection really stand out for me.

A step further into the world of quirky is New York brand Betina. Starting off as a luxury T-shirt line, the label has since expanded and was recently named as one to watch by vogue.com. Combining a Philappino heritage and US sports influences this collection is a riot of clashing textures, contrasting fabrics and embellishment. Cute!

On to Emerging Talent and the clean lines, boxy silhouettes and succinct colour scheme of label Heohwan Simulation caught my eye.

Another emerging designer with an eye for texture is Ming Pin Tien. The hand-knotted tassles that adorn the garments lift the simple shapes out of the ordinary. And I just adore these crazy furry flats. Fab, fun and sure to get a lot of attention.

And just when I thought London Fashion Week had become all clean lines and commercial shapes, I came across the surreal kitsch designs of Yang Du. The Chinese born, London based designer sure knows how to put the fun into fashion. She may divide a room with her bold designs, but with Susie Bubble as a fan she’ll go far. & why the hell not add some colour to your life. Or an animal backpack…