Alice In A Modern Wonderland

I'm back from London, and under an intense charm from the overwhelming but inspired fashion industry and lifestyle. Over the next few weeks I'll be bringing you my reviews and tales from the big city and runway, but for now I'll begin with the first show from Somerset House that I was privileged to have second row seats for.

Paul Costelloe offered London Fashion Week a quintessentially British opening, with a collection that played on the romanced classics, while also celebrating the daring and eclectic vibes that our country revels in.

There was a 60's vintage flare, with dusty tweed and faded tartan that flaked and rippled out into gold leaf skirts. What marked the collection was the futuristic twist that accomponied these classics. Thick zips stitched the dresses like sci-fi treasure chests, buttons slashed through the sculptured tops unexpectedly, skirts exploded out like avant garde parachutes, and sticky black leggings juxtaposed the delicate dresses. It was a beautiful marriage of the classics with unexpected twists, like the tailored trousers that on closer inspection looked like intricate coils of copper that had snake charmed around the leg.

As the show progressed the dresses became more exotic and fantasy like, with blood red colours stained and dyed into the patterns like tattoed butterflies, and aged purple swirling around. Thick blue material bunched together like a mosaic of roses, misting away at the edges into a futuristic mesh that was so light it looked like a mirage. The show then concluded with a heavy injection of black that played with ruffles and leather. The overall feel was a tamed down avant garde silhouette, or Alice in a modern Wonderland who had grown up into a porcelain beauty with the playful spark still alive.

[photos taken from http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/show.aspx/full-length-photos/id,8739#]