British Vogue - 08.2019

“WHERE

NEW YORK

DISPLAYED

A SPLIT

PERSONALITY,

IN LONDON,

MAXIMALISM

REIGNED

SUPREME”

which closed out the week, was haute

in its purest form. Dusty gem hues,

faded floral motifs and bejewelled

checks coloured the daywear. Infinite

plumes, real or fashioned from fabrics,

adorned cocktail dresses and evening

gowns in a veil of ghostly romance –

something ravishing to aspire to.

As the shows kicked off in London,

the craving for a couture sensibility

reached an all-time high. At Molly

Goddard, Erdem, Christopher Kane

and Richard Quinn, lavishly embellished

gowns and rhinestone-encrusted

accessories prevailed. Over at Burberry,

Riccardo Tisci cut couture shapes in the

house check, offering a pragmatic

proposal for how to adopt an haute

feeling for the everyday. Where New

York displayed a split personality, in

London, maximalism reigned supreme.

If we thought the season was set on

excess, we didn’t see Milan coming. The

collection offered a wardrobe of military

tunics, combat uniforms and black

minimalism that felt like a reaction to

this Trumpian age, full of fear-tweeting,

war-mongering and fake news. Even

Gucci, the poster brand for the ornate

exuberance that’s ruled the fashion

agenda for so many seasons, scaled back.

For Dolce & Gabbana, which has

long hailed the wonders of social media

and the millennials that grew up with

it (it’s been putting influencers on its

front row in recent years), November’s

ad-campaign controversy, which saw

the duo cancel a show in Shanghai,

had an astounding impact. Titling their

show Eleganza, the designers culled

every trace of social media celebration,

embarking on a digital detox that

brought them back to old values, to the

heyday of haute couture – think Marlene

Dietrich-esque tailoring and glamorous

Italian-widow-style black dresses.

pizzazz of the Italian fashion capital –

which normally out-performs London

in the glitz stakes – had expired. In its

place, silhouettes began to decrease in

volume, and vivid colours faded to black.

A darker mood descended, perhaps

brought about by recent events looming

in the shadows. In late 2018, a social

media storm hit a number of Italian

designers with accusations of cultural

insensitivity. Sensory overload was out,

solemn self-discipline was in.

Take Daniel Lee in his debut show

for Bottega Veneta, where he proposed

a pared-down, vaguely dystopian vision

of stompy, cyber-goth combat boots and

rigid black motorcycle suits. Then there

was Prada. “Fear is around us. Danger

and fear,” said Miuccia Prada. “Vile

parties and the vile situation in Europe.

Strong contrasts growing and growing.

In another siècle, there would already

be a war. I really believe that.” Her

CAROLINA HERRERA

OSCAR DE LA RENTA

BOTTEGA VENETA

DOLCE & GABBANA

FENDI

PRADA

GIORGIO ARMANI

ETRO

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

GUCCI

DIOR

CELINE

LOEWE

JASON LLOYD-EVANS; MITCHELL SAMS

08-19-WellMood.indd 124 10/06/2019 13:20