I wasn't thrilled by most of the London collections this year, but there were a few real standouts:
Antonio Berardi
Nothing groundbreaking here, but what I like about this collection is the way it riffs on simplicity. The standard little black dress gets a subtle upgrade through lace, tulle, or geometric panels; classic chubby furs feel fresh done in a Neapolitan palette that still manages to come off as really sophisticated. My favorite look, though, was the floor-length lace gown and accompanying visible underpinnings -- classic and sexy and just risqué enough, three adjectives which, incidentally, could describe Berardi's whole collection.
Burberry Prorsum
The impeccable Christopher Bailey has been putting out amazing collections for a solid several seasons now, and Fall is no exception. What I really love about Bailey's work for Burberry Prorsum is how he manages to reinvent a different type of outerwear for every collection (see his austere military coats for Pre-Fall or exquisitely draped trenches for Spring '09). For fall, it's the classic bomber jacket: Bailey made it new by supersizing the shearling collars and tricking out the sleeves with utilitarian-tough buckles and straps. Beyond good. The other looks are incredible, too (loving the cropped bomber in camel and that sharp navy blazer), ringing all my bells from the gorgeous color palette to the expert mix of textures. Love.
Holly Fulton
Generally this isn't the kind of thing I'm a big fan of, but I have to admit that I'd clicked through it a couple of times, Scottish newcomer Holly Fulton's collection totally charmed me. The slightly gimmicky prints (the cassette-tape skirt and telephone dress above, in particular) have a cheeky innocence to them, and the more abstractly embellished mini shifts marry Art Deco graphic quality with a '60s exuberance, making the overall collection feel a bit like an homage to New York City at the height of the Pop Art movement. Too cute. I'll be excited to see more from Fulton in the coming seasons.
Issa
Overall Issa's collection wasn't actually crazy strong, but I liked the sensibility and where the designs were coming from (at least from my point of view) -- there's a retro sharpness at work here that I can't help but find appealing. The clothes and the styling feel, to me, like a grown-up take on rockabilly; fall's Issa woman could very well be a hot rod babe who's moved on from cherry prints and leopard spots. What I like best here are the proportions: the generously-cut sleeves balance out the nipped waists and wiggle skirts, keeping everything from being too predictable.
I'm working on my Milan looks as we speak, stay tuned or follow along at Style.com! Plus, don't forget to become a fan of WR2BAM on Facebook for early looks at my runway picks.
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