Marni

POP Spring 2010, I see your true colours shining through.

Marni was a huge total mess this season, in a good way. There were so many similarities to so many shows, the first half had references to Prada in the 90's, the prints were somewhat similar to Comme des Garcons Spring '08, the last few looks immediately made me think of the Louis Vuitton Spring '10 show and the colors used were very Dries Fall '09. But having said that, this was in no way a copy of any of the shows. Consuelo Castiglioni had infused her own way of thinking into these clothes, which made it seem very Marni, yet somewhat different from what she had previously done. The clothes were more awkward and weird than usual, and there was that retro vibe that make them seem so disconnected with the 21st century.The show was just so weird, it was good.

THE COLOURS. The peaches, the dusty pink, turquoise green, they were strikingly beautiful. As for Marni, it is always about the prints, but this time round it was all about the perfect mix of colours. There was something about the pairing of a turquoise skirt with a brown sweater, the use of peach with dirty yellow, the mixing of oxblood red and a dusty pink on the sweater with a turquoise green skirt, a pink vest with pink feathers attached to its hem worn with long brown shorts, that added a touch of odd and awkward beauty to the otherwise simple clothes. The prints of somewhat abstract faces, were inspired by British painter, Gary Hume, but even then so, they were very much colours than geometric shapes and patterns. As with Marni and Marc Jacobs, fashion houses are going back to the very basis of luxury, simplicity. Reducing the clothes to just the fit and the colours, it was very sensual, light and freakishly good.

Missoni

POP Fall '09 It's no coincidence that both are styled by Vanessa Reid.

I love the direction Missoni is going this past few seasons. It is definitely not easy working with knits and wavy zig-zags for almost every thing they do, but Angela Missoni and Vanessa Reid has proven that they are able to raise the level of their work every time they put on a show. There was a certain free spiritedness and tribal inspiration in this collection, seen in the giant slouchy ponchos and coats that seemed to resemble rugs wrapped over the body and pieced together by a safety pin. In a good way, of course. Having say that, the Missoni we saw was a little different. It was sexy, kind of. I loved the way the knits slung off the shoulders, exposing the skin and bras. I loved the mish-mash of colours (oh colours, what have you done to me), the greys, red and pinks, the blue,oranges and white, the green, blue and red. Sublime. It is definitely not easy working with knits every time, but I don't think there's any brand elsewhere that can take something so grand-mumsy and make it so young and free-spirited and completely exhilarating every season.

Balenciaga

Balenciaga was a disappointment this season. Even though this collection was no doubt very Nicolas Ghesquiere-y; futuristic, sci-fi street-wear, I felt that it wasn't any exciting nor was it groundbreaking in terms of the ideas and concept. I have no idea why but ever since Spring 2009, the collection has gotten less and less exciting. Fall '09 and Spring '10 were still in the 'beautiful Ghesquiere' range but for Fall '10, it just plummeted down to 'Urgh, Ghesquiere trying too hard'. I do appreciate Nicolas's constant use of new materials and couture techniques, but this collection just felt that it was a lost-and-found collection from Spring,  Honestly, it was just Spring '10 done in couture techniques. The only looks I liked were the dresses and the belted jersey tops in mismatching colours, and the sweaters with 'mesh' covering on the front, those were technical works of a genius. The shoes were amazing too, with heels that looked like minerals, but Balenciaga always makes good shoes, so that would always be a staple in any of Nicolas's show.

The rest, I could not comprehend. I guess we expected more coming from a great designer like Ghesquiere who constantly pushes the boundaries but this collection was just pushed the wrong way on the opposite spectrum. The last looks (magazines-newspapers prints) were just bordering on tacky and cheap-looking despite the amazing couture shapes (that I would have to applaud). The prints were weird...but they were not Marni-weird, it was just ugly weird. This collection just felt that Nicolas was trying too hard to outdo himself and in terms of keeping his reputation as a futurstic haute couturier. Hmmm.....

Erdem

I loved this collection a lot. I loved the mixes of colours and prints that seem to resemble tainted glass windows in an old chapel, prints that resemble bubbles of a lava lamp, the slightly awkward bird appliques, against the sombre colours of the dresses. I loved the clean and simple silhouettes of the dresses, it was all very well put together. I often feel that London Fashion Week doesn't really deserve the attention it should receive, and that many designers like Erdem are underrated. Someone really needs to give this man the recognition for what he has done.

Dries Van Noten

I've always admired Dries Van Noten collections on how he can put glamour into the most relaxed form possible. It was the slouchiest grey sweatshirt over a sparkly skirt, or it was the simplicity of a pant-suit made with a careless sense of chic. Even the more intricate and precious lace and beading on a dress, was given a dose of Dries's relaxed glamour with army green sleeves. One of my favourite looks, was the pairing of the baggiest and casual sweatshirt and a long purple printed skirt. It was the new formal way of dressing and I loved it.

I can't stop myself falling in love with all the sweat-shirting in the show, it was done so right in the most perfect slouchy manner. I guess it was exactly what I want to wear when I'm having a lazy day (which means every day for these few months).

A Dries show is never easy to describe with words. I guess the best compliment I can make is that Dries did one of the very few shows that I loved everything right from the beginning to the end.

P.S. FashionGoneRogue has gotten into a technical funk this few weeks so finding editorials for the last few shows was pretty hard. Urgh.