Following the success of Christopher Kane and Holly Fulton at London Fashion Week, yesterday belonged to Pringle.
The presentation of their Spring Summer 2014 collection at the exceedingly grand Connaught Hotel in Mayfair was followed by the opening of a new store at London's luxury shopping destination, Mount Street. And the appearance of Tilda Swinton in a floor length black gown at the store launch gave the heritage knitwear brand instant credibility.
The Scottish Borders brand has been given a modern makeover thanks to new head of design, Massimo Nicosia. The days of twee Argyle twinsets are long gone and innovation has taken over with bomber jackets in structural fabrics featuring heavily.
A nod to the iconic Argyle diamonds could be found in delicate lace detailing and hand stitched beading on classic sweaters. The designer's exploration of texture and volume was well thought out this season, with silk alongside knitted jersey and macramé on a bomber jacket and skirt. Electric blue, navy and white were Pringle's palette of choice with orange accents appearing on selected pieces of outerwear. Everything was wearable and accessible for the loyal Pringle customer but the make-up of the clothing has been deconstructed and given a modern edge beyond the conventions of traditional knitwear.
This gradual shift by Pringle to create a more luxurious version of their sporty chic aesthetic has paid off with the brand's modern, contemporary knits selling well internationally as well as at home. Knitwear certainly featured in most collections this season - perhaps in a bid to cater for the changeable British weather - from Holly Fulton's '77' jumpers to Christopher Kane's 'Petal' emblazoned sweatshirts.
Florals were a more obvious Spring Summer trend but they came with a cleaner, less fussy vibe than we've seen previously. Jonathan Saunders showed fresh digital floral prints on silk bomber jackets and Christopher Kane concentrated on scientific botanical patterns. Model of the moment Cara Delevigne wore a matching floral jacket and culottes set at Mulberry while Christopher Bailey created transparent lace skirts embellished with jewelled flowers for Burberry Prorsum. Electric and ice blue were popular colours for the new season alongside soft pastel shades of pink, mint green, soft grey and ivory.
Although the Spring Summer showcase threatened to be a wash out with incessant rain ruining shoes and hair dos, a plethora of exciting British design talent was enough to brighten spirits. Highlights of the collections included Christopher Kane's astoundingly edgy yet feminine iridescent dresses, Cara Delevigne in pink lace at Burberry Prorsum, Zoe Jordan's effortless urban style, Preen's Miami inspired colour palette and of course Henry Holland's celebrity filled front row, which none of his peers could rival - it turns out even senior fashion editors appreciate the charms of Harry Styles.
The Scottish contingent at London Fashion Week must be delighted at the reception they received, with Kane's show being hailed as the best of the season, Holly Fulton's signature art deco prints getting positive nods from editors and the Scottish style team from shopping app Mallzee winning over the London street style crowd.
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