Designer kicks off london fashion week
FOR THE fifth season running, veteran Irish designer Paul Costelloe opened London Fashion Week yesterday in Somerset House, spearheading the first of the UK’s spring/ summer 2011 collections.
His show coincided with the release of a major research study revealing that the British fashion industry, employing 816,000 people and the largest of all the creative industries, contributes some £21 billion (€25 billion) to the economy, drives tourism and has some of the best colleges, designers and retailers in the world.
It also highlighted the pivotal role of British design and the importance of London Fashion Week in driving innovation and growth.
“Small industries like us can only compete with China on creativity,” said Costelloe who described his collection as “rock ‘n’ roll chic”.
It may have been youthful in spirit with its racer-back playsuits and layered sundresses in stiff sugary prints with mini skirts as puffy as the bouffant hairdos, but whatever about the silver brocade biker jackets, baby doll dresses decorated with huge bows were hardly the stuff of Oxegen or Electric Picnic.
He was far more at ease with the menswear collection with its cool duster coats, shiny narrow suits and easygoing striped blazers all worn with black patent shoes and slicked-back hair.
His six strapping sons – aged from 16 to 28 – stole the finale emerging on the catwalk modelling six different suits to loud cheers and catcalls.
Opting for a still-life presentation rather than a catwalk show, Orla Kiely
used lifesize cut-out cardboard photographs of models to display her collection of
fruity spring prints along with a short film made by Gia Coppola (niece of Sofia) in the English capital two weeks ago, part of which was filmed in the Irish Embassy. Also on display were her car designs for Citroen and a range of sunglasses due to debut next spring in the brand’s familiar retro patterns.
Other shows yesterday focused on draping of every kind, none very memorably, from Maria Grachvogel’s slim, billowing silks to Bora Aksu’s elaborate and overwrought mini dresses fashioned from net, mesh and quilted applique to new duo Jena Theo’s flyaway kaftans and cocoon tops in sand and vivid purple silk embellished with beaded cuffs and golden tattoos.