14 Feature
Western Eye November 2012
Feature
Bristol Fashion Week > Western Eye’s fashion correspondent Hannah Rankine reports on the event as it unfolded Hannah Rankine feature@westerneye.net
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mbarking on a degree means we subside ourselves to have a devastating bank account for a while in aid of investing in our future. However expanding our minds shouldn’t mean our wardrobes diminish. After all this is the time before suits takeover that we can go for it in the style stakes. It is up to us what we put on our backs and when fashion is extremely accessible it seems unfair and unreasonable to think that we, as students, should be exempt from embracing high fashion trends.
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It seems unfair and unreasonable to think that we, as students, should be exempt from embracing high fashion trends
Cribbs Causeway agrees with me that the fabulous looks seen on the runway shouldn’t stay there. Oh no! They need to get off the catwalk and grace the corridors of UWE and the pavements of Bristol. Cue Bristol Fashion Week! The event itself was held at Cribbs Causeway and took over the majority of the ground floor what with eyebrow stations, manicurists, and make up stands galore. The atmosphere among all was to feel and equally look fabulous. Having pottered about for a while we finally headed to the spectacular tent that housed the catwalk. Greeted with champagne and chocolate cupcakes, the sweet tone of the show was set. Presented by duo TV Stylist Mark Heyes and Celebrity Hairdresser Andrew Barton there was plenty of funny-fashion commentary. Their approachable attitude to fashion was a perfect way to make the trends accessible rather than intimidating. All of the looks came from the high street so that everyone in the audience can emulate the styles. As the lights dropped the theatrics started and we were presented with Scene 1. Debuted here were trends from Marks and Spencer, a brand that has truly hit the nail on the head this winter. Key pieces worth acknowledging are matching print suites, pencil skirts, baroque trousers, lace and a sprinkle of sequins. In true Marks and Spencer style there were models of all ages and sizes. The older generations stuck with sophisticated silhouettes but embraced the berry trend that is one of the most prominent colours this season. Then there was a shift to a more youthful vibe with clothes from NewLook. The models broke into dance, busting their moves adorned in sparkly leggings. Crosses seem to have taken over every high street store and student wardrobe alike so if you’re feeling left out NewLook can help you. Sequin, burgundy and lace are three trends shown here worth noting for the upcoming festive season. Although some of the looks shown were aimed at an older audience the colours used can be worn at any age. Namely emerald green created an elegance and romanticism perfect for dark evenings. The men wore velvet jackets from Austin Reed which is a great way to transform casual looks into night time. John Lewis took centre stage and presented more wearable but exquisite looks. The floral trend from last summer has been transformed to work for winter too. The difference is that a winter floral has a darker background behind the print and overall palette. Thankfully this makes it more flattering and so here’s the chance to try trousers at full bloom and still keep your pins
Picture: Grace Kingsley looking slim. Choose one colour from the print to work with on top or keep it black for a sultry take on the trend. Clothes aren’t the only way to show your sartorial skill. At Bristol Fashion Week they proved their worth by debuting hair trends too. Embellished hair bands seen at Louis Vuitton shows are a great way to update your look easily and get in the mood for the festive season. Prada showed the overwhelmingly popular dip dye hair. This proves that there are no rules in fashion and now, if ever, is the best time to be experimental. If brightly coloured hair isn’t your thing try the more sophisticated style sweeping the fashion world. Inspired by the 40s carefully constructed vintage rolls will finish off your festive look with a demure finish. Ann Summers continued the vintage feel with long black sheer skirts and kimonos keeping the model’s modesty. French music enhanced that nostalgic feeling for 60s fashion icon, Bridgitte Bardot which was mirrored in the show. Fat Face collaborated with the Disney Store to give a comic portrayal of the western theme. If riding around on a horse a lá Woody from Toy Story isn’t your thing, you can get involved in the look with western accents through a modern cowboy style boot and aptly decorated button up shirts. I’ve already mentioned the berry hue that is hugely popular this winter. The other colour that has taken over is purple, Cadbury purple to be specific. This colour-of-the-moment was seen in Christopher Kane’s collections, Erdem, Sportmax and House of Holland’s too. Expect to see it everywhere from your wardrobe to accessories and even interiors. After a summer of adoring Britain it is only right we have a look that is quintessentially British for winter. This is the heritage trend. Cable knit dresses, shearling, tweed, brown leather and fur accents encompass this style. The palette is literal autumnal shades; browns, burnt oranges and deep reds which are all less harsh on majority of skin-tones than black. Burberry in
particular did this look well and it was here that the owl jumper came about and has filtered down into numerous high street stores. The penultimate look to feature in the afternoon show was that of the romanticised goth or “glamorous goth” as I like to refer to it. Karen Millen and Somerset by Alice Temperley at John Lewis both showed wearable takes on the look. Sheer black fabric over nude slips or jet black blouses with deep red skirts all alluded to the same tantalizing vampire style. Finally River Island debuted the futuristic style that included metallic pieces and an interesting take on layering what with an array of hemlines. Their styling had a youthful and urban edge that kept the opportunity to interpret the pieces to work with an individual’s personal style. BFW acknowledged all the key looks for this winter and best of all proved it is easy to look great without a designer budget. Visit me at www.hanjanran.com and follow on twitter @hanjanran
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After a summer of adoring Britain it is only right we have a look that is quintessentially British for winter