Hello lovelies! I’m currently in the throes of London Fashion Week (one of my favourite times of the year), so forgive me if I seem a little aloof for the next few days. I promise it’s not you, it’s me! This is my fifth Fashion Week season, and in that time I’ve seen a lot of shows (I attend nearly every on-schedule show on the calendar). So for a show to really stand out, it must have something very special about it indeed.
Orla Kiely’s charming Autumn/Winter ’12 show yesterday evening was precisely that. Upholding her tradition of eschewing the predictable runway format, she instead entirely transformed a room within Somerset House and invited us to step inside her vision so thoroughly articulated, it was as though we were occupying an entirely different world for that brief period.
As I arrived with Charlotte, my date for the evening, we were instantly whisked back to a high school afternoon tea dance set in a golden era of years past. Gone were the ordinary audience benches, and in their place were little wooden tables laid with lace cloths, candles, champagne, tea and scones.
As a band played big band tunes, the sweetly girlish models were twirled around the room beneath a glittering mirror ball by their dapper dance partners. I’m not sure what was more darling; the darling setting or the adorable clothes. As we sat there and watched the whole scenario unfold before our eyes (we had only intended to pop in for an hour, but were so enchanted we stayed a whole hour), I fell in love with those bow-print dresses and little red shorts and golden beaded peter-pan collars (not to mention the ankle socks worn with their dancing shoes).
It must be a beautiful place inside Orla’s mind, and I love nothing more than being transported into her world each Fashion Week.
I wish I could have invited you all along, but I hope this helps to, in a way, transport you there too.
Love, Miss B xx
oh, how I love this .. such great vintage theme! x
lovely images 🙂
What a lovely and engaging idea for a fashion show.
Gorgeous photos, it looks like a fabulous event!
I loved the Orla Kierly show! One of my favourites, because, as you said, she understands to create a (fashion) world of its own, far away from the real world. 1940s tea dance atmosphere and the schoolgirl-inspired collection are simply stunning.
Exactly why I loved it! I know it’s not exactly necessary, but I love those shows that create a whole theatrical experience to completely immerse you in the theme (Mulberry do this so well); it makes for such a fun, memorable Fashion Week experience!
B xx
Enchanting! That is the only word to use to decribe this evening, it sounds so wonderful 🙂 xx
stunning.
What a beautiful way to present the clothes, lovely post xoxo
what gorgeous pictures you’ve taken! i love that you were able to capture such romantic ambiance and clever angles. of course, you were given a great setting to work with 🙂 how lovely!
Omg!! Love love love this!! It’s amazing!! Thanks for giving us a glimpse of this amazingness!!
xx
Giovanna