Lee Alexander McQueen's memorial service at St. Paul's Cathedral on Monday morning cast a somber pall over the rest of the day's fashion week proceedings. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Daphne Guinness were among the 1,200 mourners. Anna Wintour, who was rumored to be in town just for the service and a few shows on Monday, was the first to pay tribute to the late designer. "He taught us that the runway was a place where dreams become reality," the Vogue editor said. "There was no comfort zone with Alexander McQueen. There was no containing his contradictions. Even his final collection was a literal fight between dark and light." International Herald Tribute fashion and culture editor Suzy Menkes, who said she had attended every show of McQueen's, said McQueen's craftsmanship was never diminished by his famous theatricality. Björk performed a beautiful rendition of Billie Holliday's "Gloomy Sunday," and a few of McQueen's closest friends gave personal tributes. Read The Daily Beast's inside account of the service here.
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There is something bittersweet about London Fashion Week when, while Alexander McQueen is being memorialized at St. Paul's, two brand-new, buzzed-about young designers are showing their collections at Somerset House across town at exactly the same time. The audience, of course, split—with international editors, and industry bigwigs lining the pews at the cathedral and the industry's bloggers, young fans, and up-and-comers attending the shows of David Koma and Holly Fulton. But it sent a message about London: This is a place where young talent is embraced, and where emerging designers have strong shoulders to stand on. David Koma, who counts Beyoncé and Kylie Minogue as clients, was inspired this season by the Ballets Russes, and showed a collection that included bodycon dresses and tutu skirts.
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Pringle's creative director, Clare Waight Keller, showed a minimalist collection centered, of course, around knits, but she also sent several unexpected elements down the runway. Shoes were feathered, and mesh skirts sat atop knit shifts. Backstage, the designer cited the brand's legacy as inspiration for her collection. "James Pringle wears it with an argyle jacket with a severe cut," Waight Keller said, explaining that she used that shape as inspiration for some of this season's jackets. "One day I'll be really super serious, and the next day, I'm going to have frills on it or something. And I think that's every girl." Tweeted Cathy Horyn during the show: "Weirdly canned minimalism, no? A feather here, a bit of techno mesh there."
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After a season of designers claiming heady inspirations for their collections—from obscure philosophers to little-known architects—it was a relief to learn of the inspiration behind Holly Fulton's collection: "Joan Collins on a cruise." It was a romantic collection, to be worn, perhaps, by a city girl on a warm night next summer who just wishes she could be on a cruise. Fulton's palazzo pants, shorts, and floor-length dresses featured bold prints in bright, daring colors. Her accessories also stood out, with Perspex and metal jewelry, and clutches that read simply: "Holly Says Relax."
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Holy fringe! There was more fringe on Mark Fast's runway than Pocahontas ever owned. Fast, whose memorable Fall/Winter collection included lots of crochet, introduced feathers and fringe to the mix at his Monday show. The designer said he was inspired by birds of paradise, and his color palette experimented with exotic: Black dresses gave way to electric feathers, and form-fitting dresses came in bright blues and yellows.
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"Even before BP's massive oil spill in the Gulf, Mr. Fast had wanted his latest designs to be about the environment,"
writes The Wall Street Journal's Beth Schepens. "But when that Deep Horizon rig exploded five months ago, his idea took on a whole new meaning."
There was an Old World feel to Peter Pilotto's spring collection. Designers Pilotto and Christopher De Vos said the collection was inspired by '70s Yves Saint Laurent. But for this classic silhouette and long length, the designers introduced modern origami-style folds of fabric. Prints became color-blocked with creams for evening wear, which gave the structural dresses a cheerful feel.
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Nicole Farhi opted for modern and minimalist in her spring collection. There were no surprises, no theatrics, just sleek, chic clothes. Colors were pale, things didn't get fancier than metallic paillettes, and the collection centered mainly around white architectural separates—structured pants, jackets, and dresses. And, though no one was really sure why, Bill Nighy was spotted in the front row.
When Giles Deacon is doing the cooking, prepare to taste the entire menu. Deacon served up one retro reference after another at his show on Monday evening—'40s pinups came down the runway one minute, '50s florals the next, followed by '70s wide-legged pants and '80s grunge sweaters. But Deacon, according to WWD, said his collection was actually inspired by The Milk Bar, a favorite night spot of his from the early 1990s. For evening, he presented dramatic tutu dresses covered in bow prints, and highly romantic pink silk dresses with lingerie accents and beaded details. Models wore great plumes on their heads and bright green eye shadow. The lineup of models ranged from Agyness Deyn, who opened the show, to Karolina Kurkova. The real drama came, however, at the finale, when legendary model Veruschka, now 71, appeared on the runway to applause. But this spectacle may soon find a new home: On Monday, rumors circulated that Deacon would soon be showing in New York.
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The apparent inspiration at Christopher Kane: a highlighter multi-pack. The neons just kept coming at Kane's afternoon show, which, after his past few seasons, was packed to the brim with editors with high expectations. Anna Wintour, who had eulogized Alexander McQueen two hours before at St. Paul's, made a rare appearance in the front row (she reportedly flew back to New York right after). Neon pinks and yellows came on knee-length dresses of sheer lace. According to one editor, the collection looked like "Princess Margaret on acid." Vogue's Dolly Jones commended Kane on "incredibly delicate craftsmanship that reminded us despite his fame that Christopher Kane is one of the very best of his generation."
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Other designers may be showing floral sundresses for spring, but at Paul Smith, the message was clear: Boyish is back. The collection featured schoolboy tailored shorts and blazers, striped sweaters, mini briefcases, and fitted vests. As Paul Smith said in an interview backstage after the show: "I wanted everything to look borrowed from the brother or the boyfriend or the husband." Colors ranged from sage to burgundies—and, for the mix-matched prints and cheerful mood, Smith acknowledged that this palette was more muted than his usual fare. Each look had a '60s swagger, especially as models' hair was side-combed in a La Roux-style pompadour. The backdrop of the show was several salon-style drawings and paintings, which Smith said served as inspirations for the collection.
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