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The comeback kid: the return of underwear-as-outerwear



  Fashion has come a long way since Mrs Pritchard wrote ‘The old-fashioned idea that underwear must be absolutely hideous in order to be virtuous is, I am thankful to say, passing away; and now the woman of refinement, be she rich or poor, endeavours to have dainty lingerie’ in Ladies Realm in 1902. Now, we are dressing inside-out with the return of the 90s slip dress.

    The Céline spring/summer collection saw vintage-look lace trimmed silk slips in ivory and black. Alexander Wang's last show at Balenciaga saw an entire collection in ivory featuring many silk bias-cut slips, with the slip appearing again in Wang's own label collection but more emphasis on lace and colour, with one in a dusty rose shade and a black maxi worn under an oversized, long line camel coat. The Calvin Klein Collection show saw Francisco Costa reinvent the labels famous slinky silhouette of the 1990s but this time with thicker adjustable straps, a looser bust and knitted versions with brass detailing. Saint Laurent also paid homage to the 90s grunge trend with a slip worn with wellington boots, fur and a tiara.

    The tiaras were reminiscent of Courtney Love in her ivory slip dress and tiara at the Vanity Fair Oscars party in 1995. Laura Anderson, founder of the blog A Forte for Fashion believes the slip dress has a “place in music history. We saw it all the way through the nineties with the likes of Courtney Love donning one on stage. It definitely has rock ‘n’ roll connotations surrounding it.” But the slip dresses weren’t only for the rockers, a young Kate Moss was an avid lover of the slip dress in the nineties, as well as Jennifer Aniston. And Princess Diana most memorably wore a navy slip with lace straps by Dior to the Met Gala in 1996.    

   The slip was a favourite of Rihanna’s last year, wearing looks by Meadheam Kirchoff, Dior and AWAVEAWAKE. One notable look saw a satin thigh-grazing slip by AOFC worn under a floor length white fur coat with a navy baseball cap finishing the look, giving the outfit a street-style edge. Amber Heard also sported the underwear as outerwear look last year wearing a Temperley London ember-hued maxi slip to Tiffany & Co.’s Blue Book Collection dinner in April. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley brought the slip into this year, wearing a dusty pink version with a mess insert by Galvan to the Opening Ceremony’s dinner with the label in January.

     The return of lingerie-inspired dressing is accompanied by a new attitude towards dressing, backstage at the Céline SS/16 ready-to-wear show, Phoebe Philo explained to Vogue.com that she was “interested in how clothes make us feel … and in how we behave in different places.” And based on the show, a key feeling for Philo this season is comfort, the loose fitting slips were paired with easy to wear flats and boots as well as practical work-sized handbags. Perhaps a step back from staggering high heels and micro-bags.

    Though practical doesn’t have to mean frumpy, this is a sexy way to dress. It can be difficult to wear underwear as outerwear without it looking like the start of a sleazy striptease.  “For 2016 I think the way to wear it will be a little more sophisticated than in the past. Team it with a polo neck, an oversized coat and your favourite trainers” Laura Anderson suggests. Whilst Rania Abdulla, founder of The Wardrobe Stylist comments “If this 90s trend is to be fully resurrected, I believe stylists should do their job of properly combining it with something else that makes it distinguishably different than a nighty.”

   Although the underwear as outerwear concept may look nothing but desirable on the runways of luxury label collections, it may not be the same for the look when translated onto the high street. The delicate and fine lacing seen at Céline and Alexander Wang could be difficult to reproduce quickly and at an inexpensive rate. Fashion writer and Creative Director at London College of Fashion Tony Glenville agrees, “the idea of a simple lingerie slip in satin in theory requires both a decent fabric and good cutting of the original shape.”

    However, Glenville goes on to explain “standards at Zara etc. have risen notably since the 80s so we can hope the lessons of the past can result in better quality of production and fit.” This may ring true for the fast fashion chains of the high street, we’re barely into March yet Mango, Topshop and River Island have all released versions of slip dresses for the season.  Notably Mango's new ‘Soft Minimal’ campaign, featuring model Liu Wen, the collection features a white dress with lace appliqué, as well as a black and white pinstripe lace edged slip dress and camisole (ranging in prices £25.99 - £35.99).


    Tony Glenville concludes his thoughts on fast fashion's imitation of luxury, ‘the slip of cheap lining satin with badly constructed support for the bust and wrinkled side seams has little appeal!” Only time will tell if the high street can fully succeed in recreating its own version of underwear as outerwear. For the time being, the kick back of the body con is refreshing, there’s a looseness and breathability to everything yet it’s still ultra feminine and flirty. Fashions new way to dress is putting what should be on the inside, out.


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   Diane Von Furstenberg SS16 Ready-To-Wear Show | In Review 


    Diane von Furstenberg’s SS16 ready-to-wear ‘Fortuna’ collection is named after the Roman goddess of luck, justice and liberty. The designer found her inspiration in a Pre-Raphaelite painting she brought herself. DVF describes the collection as a celebration of “truth, nature and freedom.” 

    Karlie Kloss opened the show a wrap dress, DVF’s signature, in fuchsia and powder pink floral prints patchworked together. Followed by an array of jumpsuits in printed silks, Grecian inspired maxi dresses in chiffon and a playsuit in metallic gold.
   
    The ‘it’ girls of the moment i.e Kloss, Kendall Jenner, sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid were all cast in the show and the modern muses make the vintage silhouettes feel new and fresh all over again.
  
   Though there is a strong seventies feel with the collection, the show is also heavily inspired by nature with floral prints, butterflies embroidered onto dresses in gold and fresh flowers tucked into each models hair.

   The make-up artist Pat McCrath and hair stylist Orlando Pita for Tresemme took their inspiration from a photo of Diane von Furstenberg herself, a moment captured from the first night she went out to the iconic Studio 54 with her hair in its naturally curly form and a flower tucked behind her ear.
   
    The cropped bomber jackets in gold and green felt a little too tough for the ultra feminine and free flowing collection. DVF’s latest bag, the Secret Agent was featured in the show, in woven gold, other accessories included a fringed cross body bag and chunky gold bangles worn by every model.

   Stand out pieces in the show include a draped one shouldered dress blocked with a golden yellow on the front and pink on the back, a fuchsia pink kaftan with embellishments around the neckline and the halter neck, knee length navy floral print dress worn by Lily Aldridge.
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The Great White (Run)way - A Style Publication for Broadway



Broadway Style Guide, an online publication that caters for both the theatre and fashion in New York is set to celebrate its first anniversary in December of this year.

   The online publication targets musical theatre lovers through interviewing Broadway stars on their upcoming shows and projects but unlike other publications (Playbill, Broadway.com) Broadway Style Guide takes a deeper look in the lives of these performers and asks about personal style and fashion as well as finding out about their favourite places to eat, shop, places to travel, work and regimes etc.
  
   Other sections of the website include ‘Style’ which is made up of get the look, street style and must have posts, as well as red carpet reviews from opening nights and other theatre related award shows. The sections ‘On The Scene’ and ‘Video’ provide coverage of opening nights and events and a behind the scenes look at some of the main feature photoshoots.
 
   Since launching in January 2015, the website has interviewed young starlets making their Broadway debuts, most recently Ana Villlafañe who is set to star in new musical On Your Feet. Broadway Style Guide has also interviewed more esteemed Broadway actors, most notably Tony Award winners Kelli O’Hara (The King and I) and Sutton Foster (Anything Goes, Thoroughly Modern Millie). Glee star Darren Criss has made numerous appearances on the website as has West End and Broadway star Ramin Karimloo (The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables).
  
  The features see these actors in high production photo shoots, styled by James Brown III and photographed by Nathan Johnson. The shoots have featured high end brands such as Lanvin, Alexander McQueen as well as clothes from Ted Baker London, Reiss and Free People.
  
   John Vermeer, publisher of Broadway Style Guide, believes these features have been “important to establish [the publications] credibility” but also notes that Broadway Style Guide reaching ten thousand followers on Instagram has been a milestone, as the social media interaction “demonstrates that there is an audience for this type of content.”

  Laura Mandanas, freelance journalist and writer of Broadway Style Guide feature with Sierra Boggess commented “the Sierra Boggess feature did very well on social media, driving several thousand viewers to the website within weeks of its launch. That's an impressive feat for any new publication, and even more so for one targeting a relatively niche audience.”

  Another notable milestone for the magazine has been its recent collaboration with Playbill.com, a long established publication which is distributed free to all Broadway theatres. The collaboration saw five child actors currently on Broadway in a high production styled photo shoot with looks provided by department store Macys and Polo Ralph Lauren.

  With the success of the publication in its first year, it’s possible to question if London’s West End theatre community could benefit from its own version of Broadway Style Guide. Tony Glenville, journalist and creative director at London College of Fashion, thinks “there is potential for it in the UK.”
  
  He also questions the extent to which the publication could grow, “since a show doesn’t open every night and since there are huge lulls I think I would want to embrace opera, dance, circus, concerts (and so on).”

   While John Vermeer hopes Broadway Style Guide will “be bigger and better” in a year and reveals the team “are also exploring some potential off-shoots from the core publication.” With the successes of its first year, hitting milestone on social media and features with marquee Broadway stars, perhaps Broadway Style Guide will grow into an established publication, a hybrid of theatre, fashion and style and become the first of its kind.


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Scandi clothing brand Lindex open second UK store in Westfield London



 Clothing store Lindex opened a new store in Westfield London on Friday 6th November. The store is the Swedish chains second to open in London, after the brand opened its UK flagship store earlier in March of this year in Westfield Stratford City.

   

   The Scandinavian womenswear, childrenswear and lingerie store is already established itself in its native Sweden and has over 400 stores across central Europe, Iceland, Russia and the Middle East.

  

   Customers benefited from thirty percent off throughout the day, as well as £5 gift cards and goodie bags filled with accessories and Lindex Beauty products. One customer, Steph Bisson, said “I’m impressed by the clothes. I really like the style of the store and the prices. I got a jumper for £14.99 which was even cheaper with the thirty percent off. I think that’s a really good price for something I’ll wear throughout winter.”

   

   The brand’s current campaign ‘Autumn Hitlist’ features supermodel Karlie Kloss showcasing the must haves for this season. Lindex also launched a campaign earlier this year titled #SuperRoleModel featuring models Christy Turlington Burns, Liva Kebede and Toni Garrn. The models were credited for their social commitment and philanthropic work with the profits of t-shirt sales being donated to WaterAid.  

   The manager for Lindex UK, Lena Provén commented in a statement released by Lindex “We distinguish ourselves in many ways here in London and the response has been great. We have made returning customers and meet new ones each day … we now look forward to opening in West London to reach even more customers.”

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MADE IN LONDON 


Old Spitalfields Market is famous for its street food, quirky artwork and vintage stalls. Surrounded by high-street brands in boutique spaces, retro hair salons and chain restaurants, it can often be difficult to identify the home grown talent the market has to offer. RAW went to OSM to find the stalls that produce and sell in London and talk to the designers.

1.618 Design and Tailoring is a womenswear brand, designed and sold by Amin Phillips. Stocking a vast array of printed bomber jackets, pea coats and jackets with exaggerated collars made in neopreen. Everything sold on the stall is made in Mile End in Whitechapel, Amin explains his reasons for keeping production close as it means he can “over see the process” and make returns easier for customers.

He chose to sell at Spitalfields after its regeneration in 2005, describing his stall as ‘[it’s] almost like having a boutique without having to pay boutique prices.’ He also told us about the members of the public he meets through the market ‘there’s some people you might not expect. You have no idea who they are so, I meet some interesting people here and people from industry so its great.’

Amin's former brand Love And Be Loved saw the creation of more bespoke garments and costumes created in his studio in East London, mostly notably the costume Tim Minchin wore for the 2012 Live Arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Gonsalves and Hall London was founded by Diane Gonsalves and Christopher Hall in 2005, they both had their own individual stalls in the market before deciding to pair up and create their own womenswear brand together. After a stint in Selfridges with their debut lingerie collection they decided to move to the market and focus their brand more on tops and outerwear.  Today they have two stalls in Spitalfields, selling t-shirts, shirts and coats for women.

Diane explains ‘we started at Spitalfields because it was really good for young designers’ as the reason to why they chose to sell at the market. But also told us about the most recent challenge they face as a growing number of stalls is OSM are selling clothes for less. ‘It’s a lot harder to sell because there’s a lot more people who go to wholesalers, so their stuff's a lot cheaper and because we produce in London, it’s a lot more expensive.’

But she also weighs up the pros of having production in London ‘it means we can keep an eye on quality and our manufactures up the road and we know everyone in the factory so we know the working conditions are good.’

Gung Ho is a new ethically responsible brand which sells dresses, scarves and earrings, only moving into Spitalfields in mid-May. Sourcing fabrics from just outside of Oxford and assembling the garments in London, we spoke to stall owner and designer Sophie Dunster about her brand. Who describes the process as ‘100% organic, home made, keeping our carbon foot print very neutral.’

The brand also takes into consideration causes and issues within the wider society and incorperates them into the garments. Each unique print in Gung Ho’s debut collection draws attention to a current issue, these are:  the struggle of Indian elephants, washing machine settings and detergents, and the British bee crisis. Five pounds from each purchase is then donated to a charity linked with the cause and the customer receives a mini-zine with information on the cause and how their money will help the charity.

Although it is early days for the Gung Ho stall, Sophie explains “we’re still trying to suss out where we are especially with this sort of crowd because I think some people come here to try to find like a bargain and then some people here are trying to find better, well designed, hand made stuff.”

She also brings attention to the importance of having the stall as a means to to connect with people ‘we need to be somewhere where people can discover us.’ Going on to share with us her hopes for her business to grow, ‘the next stop is boutiques, but to start with, the stall is good to use as a base. Even if people don’t make a purchase right then and there, we talk to a lot of people, hand out a lot of business cards and hopefully these will be future customers.’

These designers, though all very different with varying styles and aims with their stalls are all a fine example of home-grown London fashion talent. Watch our interviews with Amin, Diane and Sophie at their stalls, online at:
https://rawshoreditch.wordpress.com/