My Spring 09 collection is an ultra-feminine take on modern romance, with a high-gloss, sporty edge.
I held a focused presentation of 18 looks on the kick-off day of New York fashion week this season. Thankfully it was glorious hot weather as I held it on the rooftop of a building on W14th Street overlooking the river at sunset, so the light turned out to be divine. Downstairs we had a cocktail party hosted by the ever lovely Arden Wohl and The Supper Club NY.
Initial inspirations were the beautiful and infamous pictures of teenage girls by early seventies photographer David Hamilton, John Singer Sargent’s portraits and the restrictive sexiness of Edwardiana...and Spandau Ballet. This loosely set the mood for the collection, which is dreamy and romantic in colour and execution but young and glamourous in feel.
Highlights of the collection include softly embroidered Broderie Anglaise and polka dot cotton tulle dresses, draped skirts and high -necked ruffle shirts, silk satin and taffeta colour blocked party dresses, shorts and jumpsuits, slouchy tailored tuxedo sportswear, a beautiful watercolour “Blushing Rose” print by artist Deanne Cheuk as well as my signature hand - screen prints, with a colour palette of black, ivory, neutrals and make-up colors with accents of violet, hyacinth and peony....
Diana Moldovan in dress of clear sequins over Deanne Cheuk's "Blushing Roses" watercolour print with a backdrop of the NY skyline. You can't get much more romantic than that.
The fantastic 2 Mandy DJ's rocked the evening and looked amazing in my clothes too.
Arden Wohl in the Starlight dress from my Fall collection.
Vogue's Meredith Melling-Burke and stylist Susan Joy.
Tamsin Lonsdale from the Supper Club and me
Here's Fay Cantor-Stephens doing a final bit of hair straightening before she thankfully helped me out on the door along with Drew Elliot from Paper Magazine.True troopers.
Hair super-stylist Ashley Javier doing his magic with a modern take-on Gibson girl hair and a satin headband. It worked!
I was really thrilled with the strong turnout I received at the start of another hectic and exhausting fashion week.Maya Singer who writes for style.com told me that she had rsvp'd for 94 events in the coming week!I was feeling lucky that one my sponsors was Skyn Iceland again, who gave me some much needed pick-me-up facial products in my gift bags. My beyond stressed out skin was hauled back from the edge just in time with their hydro - cool firming eye gels that actually work. I glowed again!
Anyway here is someone who never looks exhausted,the eternally effervescent Mickey Boardman from Paper and the charming Julia Frakes ( who does have a bit of a Bubbles / Jane Horrocks lookylikeiness going on, but only in looks might I add..)
Gisella Lemos covering for Brazilian Vogue.com looking a stunner in my matching printed silk jersey dress and leggings. One of my favourite ensembles ever!
Crystal Slattery and Roderick Angle
Bayo and Jody. My old friends from London the vogueing twins.
One of my favourite dresses from Spring, a violet silk taffeta and tulle dress on Alexandra.
"Blushing Roses' digital watercolour printed silk shorts and a hand-screened silk corsage top on Angelika.
Natasha wearing a black tulle and silk feather bias -cut dress.
Alexandra in a colour-bocked taffeta Bow dress.
Danielle in my top favourite dress of the season, the make-up colour silk ruff backless dress. This was the very last thing I designed.
I always do a jumpsuit...and it turned out this season so did everyone and his wife too! Here's my silky sportif version on Nika in make-up pink.
Jill wearing the hand-screen printed corsage printed top in cream with tuxedo suiting peg-top shorts.
Angelika in the first look, the hand-screen printed corsage batwing dress in cream.
Natasha in a semi-sheer black Swiss dotty voile ruffle shirt and tuxedo suiting peg-top shorts.
Nika in a black striped cotton tulle ribbon top with a tuxedo suiting draped pencil skirt.
Dei wearing a hand-embroidered cream tulle ruffle dress
Jennifer in the cream tuxedo jacket, cummerbund ( I went a bit cummerbund crazy!) and tuxedo peg-top pants.
A few days before my presentation ( literally the day after labour day..it was hell getting all this organised when basically everyone's still on a beach )we shot our spring lookbook. My amazing talented friend , photographer Mark Squires shot it on the gorgeous Sheila from One Models.Here she is on set at my studio....
Mark Squires
Here's my intern Taryn with Katie Toker hard at work getting the collection together.
Macky Dugan, who shares my studio, getting roped into helping me!
Another of my hard working interns, Feride.
One of Mark Squires campaign photos that he shot, this one of the jumpsuit
Another of Mark's beautiful photos...
...and another, this is the ruffle skirt and hand silk-screened corsage top.Dreamy!
