Sunday 20 February 2011

MULBERRY AW2011 LFW

Mulberry had a lot to prove this season at LFW. Perhaps one of the most quintessential British brands, all eyes were on the fashion house to, once again, deliver something spectacular. And wow! That’s just what they did. Taking over the ballroom of Claridges Hotel (what a perfect choice of location) they transformed it into a woodland wonderland with a smothering of pretty moss foliage, birds on branches, furry animals and subtle overhead tweeting, to provide the perfect backdrop for their AW11 collection. 



The phrase ‘if you go down to the woods today you’re sure of a nice surprise’ was ringing through our minds as we sat there waiting for a show that promised “quintessential English countryside mixed with grown up glamour, with the signature Mulberry quirk sprinkled amidst a friendly forest of woodland creatures”.
Full of fantastical creatures, the scene was perfectly set with a reading from Roald Dahl’s ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’. Mulberry’s creative director Emma Hill was overheard saying, “I wanted this to be an uber English collection. I was inspired by hedgerows and traditional English pursuits – hunting, shooting and fishing”. As soon as the models appeared her inspiration was clear for all to see – grey fishing trousers and outdoors shooting jackets and coats were given the Mulberry ‘sprinkling’ with hardware borrowed from this season’s must have Tillie bag. 

Knitwear was a case of super size and super cosy, again drawing a perfect reference to English country attire. Breaking the trend, dresses were designed for maximum impact, with strong structured shapes and soft ethereal maxis full of delectable details. All effortlessly contemporary, they were accessorised with boxy coats and chunky belted knits. 



Unlike many shows already seen, Mulberry broke the mould with their colour palette, steering away from a dominance of reds, oranges and teals. Instead they opted for soft khakis, greys, blacks and, perhaps most refreshingly, lavenders and plums.

Next we saw Mulberry introduce their AW11 bags. Just what we’d been waiting for! Here we saw the Bayswater updated with poacher style straps and studs to form the Bayswater Satchel. Alexa has been updated with fox locks (Fantastic Mr Fox indeed!) and Tillie has been given a fantastic quilted update. Two new families, Taylor and Carter see the Mulberry range grow exquisitely with two more sophisticated, easy shapes that are sure to be on the arms of anyone who’s anyone before you can say Fantastic Mr Fox.
We can’t really choose our favourite aspect of this show – it had high expectations to meet, and it certainly didn’t disappoint! Suffice to say, our favourite show so far!

Pictures from Vogue.co.uk

No comments:

Post a Comment