Paul Smith modernises classic tailoring for AutumnWinter 2021, presented at Paris Fashion Week

British brand Paul Smith, rcognised as one of the most successful designers of all from the UK, presented as part of the digital Paris Fashion Week this season a video of its new Autumn/Winter 21 collection for menswear, but chose to release their new womenswear collection as static fashion shots. It is a collection where the designer brand takes one on a journey through the subcultures that have signposted the house’s design director Paul Smith’s career.

Nevertheless, the menswear video displays the movement of the featured classic shapes and fabrics for the season, with many of the tailoring and coordinating knitwear, ensemble suiting pieces and patterns crossing over to the womenswear collection, resulting in androgynous gender-neutral looks in some cases. 

After a turbulent year in a pandemic-laden world filled with uncertainties and unknowns, this Paul Smith autumn winter 2021 collection upholds our expectation of a brand that is known for its masterful tailoring and suits, dependable timeless looks that will satisfy existing customers as well as appeal to a new generation of potential customers.

The womenswear collection features 20 ensembles for autumn/winter '21, of which many can be pre-ordered on the Paul Smith official website for a limited time (until the end of Paris Fashion Week on March 10th).

Look for outerwear, where oversized macs, a reversible sheepskin and a refined black wool coat, based on the popular Opera Tuxedo, are all updated versions of timeless styles that should be found in everyone’s wardrobe.

The fabrics and techniques of tailoring have been applied to more casual shapes to create everyday pieces with a refined edge. 

This is seen in an oversized shirt cut from soft wool, a cropped bomber jacket created from recycled wool with silk lining, and coordinated jacket and trouser sets that pair relaxed shapes with smart tailoring fabrics.

When suits do appear they are softer in construction for added comfort. A new suit shape with a four-button blazer and 1970s references is a key style for the season. It is offered in gold, as well as checked and striped options.

As with every Paul Smith collection, patterns, checks and stripes are prevalent. A modernised paisley revives another Paul Smith signature pattern and appears on new dress shapes, knitted jumpers and a collection of bags.

Tartan tailoring and check patterns bring to mind 1970s ska and striped mohair knitwear is part punk, part preppy, with vegan potato starch buttons on the cardigans adding an ethical edge.

Presenting a familiar Paul Smith pattern in an innovative new way, the new Painted Stripe bag series is an expressive take on the Artist Stripe motif, which has been added to high quality leather backpacks, totes and cross-body bags.

All images courtesy of PAUL SMITH.

IFM Graduates showcase imaginative designs and craftsmanship

Master  of  the  Arts  Graduate  Show  of Institut  Français  de  la  Mode  (IFM) has for the first time featured the work of its 2021 graduate students as part of this season's digital Paris Fashion Week for womenswear (mainly), which opened on March 1st for Autumn/Winter 2021/22.

James Giltner, IFM Knitwear

Colin Lin, IFM Menswear

Johanna Imbach, IFM Knitwear

Shari Lesmes, IFM Knitwear

The presentation was filmed on the IFM campus, showcasing the 48 graduates’ creative works demonstrated with great craft and imagination.

Each  of  the  Master  of  Arts  in  Fashion Design graduates presented their  personal  collections  in  ready-to-wear,  accessories  and  image design, and the presentation was filmed  on  IFM's nw 9,000 sq. m. campus. 

Anna Karathanassis, IFM Knitwear

This was the first  official  graduate show of the FHCM,  having  worked  intensely towards  this  new IFM  born of  the 2019 union with  the Ecole  de la  Chambre Syndicale de la  Couture Parisienne, and will be an annual event from now on.

Antonia Shcreiter, IFM Knitwear

Mengche Chiang, IFM Menswear

The common thread that connects all the collections presented is the notion of experimentation: this year’s graduates presented craft-heavy pieces, with strong intellectual backdrops.  The students who had come from a diverse background from cultures around the world had demonstrated their ingenuity with refreshing ideas and unexpected results.

Jimin Kim, IFM Knitwear

During the tough challenge of navigating the majority of their course in lockdown, the students were fully supported by the university.  After their final collection, the last stage of the MA is a 6-month work placement at a fashion house, an interesting structural choice that helps the students have a smooth transition from education to the job market, an existing practical and mental weight on the shoulders of design graduates all over the world.

All photos courtesy of IFM/ Paris Fashion Week.

Paris Fashion Week® for Women's Fashion starts March 1st

Hot on the heels of Milan and London Fashion Weeks, the international fashion world's attention is now focused on Paris  Fashion  Week®  for  Women's  Fashion which starts on  Monday,  March 1st and runs until  March  10th. 

The Official Calendar features 92  houses participating mainly in  the form  of  digital  events.  Filmings, as well  as the professional meetings  that  take  place,  have complied  with  the  decisions  taken  by  the  public  authorities  and  the  health  protocol  that the  Fédération  de  la  Haute  Couture et  de  la  Mode  (FHCM) based  on  the recommendations  of  the Ilede-France  Regional  Health  Agency. 

Social media co-operation features heavily for this mainly digital season.

The  Fédération  de  la  Haute  Couture  et  de  la  Mode  establishes its  global  digital  presence  and  its  partnerships  with YouTube,  Google,  Canal  +,  CNN  Style,  The  Asahi  Shimbun, Kommersant, Instagram,  Facebook  and  the  main  Chinese social  networks,  as  well  as the participation  of  The New  York  Times.  

An  important partnership with  TikTok  completes the  system  and  offers  even  more  visibility  to  all  PFW®  events. 

The  PFW®  platform  has been created  with  Launchmetrics and is  accessible  to  the  general  public  while  spaces are reserved  for  professionals.  

The platform  will present  the  video  content  of  the  houses  included  in  the  Official  Calendar  as  well  as  the season's  lookbooks, along with Insider:  magazine with  several sections covering  interviews  with  designers,  providing expert views,  focus,  know-how exchange,  inspirations, house  contents, and written  articles.

Première Vision Paris annouces next show dates: September 21 to 23, 2021

Première Vision Paris has announced that its next edition of the trade fair for international creative fashion and textile professionals will be held on September 21, 22 & 23, 2021 in Paris Villepinte and that it will be a physical event with a significant amount of digital content to follow online.

Première Vision Paris September 2019 show in original physical format
held at Paris Villepinte.

While it was originally planned to have a new show schedule by moving the autumn show to July, this year the event will keep to the original September show schedule in view of the ongoing complications posed by the pandemic to international travel.

This Spring, the Première Vision Paris digital event which ran from February 15 to 19 concluded with satisfactory results, according to the organisers, pointing out that the week-long online event was deemed instrumental in helping the fashion and textile industry conceive their onward collections despite Covid-19 constraints, and looking forward to helping it prepare for the recovery expected to begin sometime in 2021.

Première Vision took the opportunity in February to launch its new website, which will be rolled out in several stages over the course of 2021, and which will bring together all of its shows and its online Marketplace, said the organisers.

With more than 35,000 connections from international visitors from 110 countries, the Digital Show allowed the industry to come together on a unique digital platform to develop its activities, interact, get inspired and create the spring-summer 22 collections.

On offer during the week were more than 50,000 products presented in more than 1,560 e-shops.

There was also programme of 13 Digital Talks to decode the season’s trends -with fashion seminars- and address the sector’s challenges - with conferences on eco-responsibility, global sourcing, and other topical issues.

Organisers said the site was more efficient in providing customer/supplier link-up tools to improve direct contact and remote business interactions, including the launch of video conferencing appointments via the video-call features of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, to personalize meetings and facilitate the presentation of material collections.

The February Digital Show will remain accessible and active on the Première Vision website throughout the season, 

Compared to their previous digital show inSeptember 2020, PV Paris indicated more online traffic had been generated in the February 2021 online event, registering close to 175,000 product pages viewed (vs. 138,000 in Sept. 20), 460,000 page views (vs. 377,000 in Sept. 20), a visit time of more than 20 minutes (vs. 10 minutes in Sept. 20).

Details of the February digital show in figures:

● A wide and international offer enriched on a daily basis:

> +1,560 e-shops

> +50,000 referenced products

> 8 product and business sectors: Fabrics, Leather, Accessories, Yarns, Denim, Smart

Creation, Designs, Manufacturing.

> +45 countries represented

● Active international buyers:

> International visitors from 110 countries, with in the top 10 and in order: France, UK,

Italy, USA, Spain, Turkey, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, South Korea.

> 35,000 connections over five days (a near-steady number of visits vs. Sept. 20)

> 460,300 page views (vs. 376,900 in Sept. 20)

> 174,500 products viewed (vs. 138,000 in Sept. 20)

> Average visit duration of 20 minutes 55 (vs. 9 minutes 50 in Sept. 20)

● A successful series of 13 Digital Talks, followed live by +7,260 professionals (vs. 4,140 in

Sept. 20), and by +10,175 people in replay (vs. 6,214 in Sept. 20) by end of February.

→ The Digital Talks are available in replay on the Première Vision website with exclusive fashion analysis:

> 9 digital forums

> 11 articles to decode seasonal trends

> 2 Trend Tastings fashion seminars

London Fashion Week Online showcased more than 90 designers across menswear and womenswear this February.

Erdem AW21.

London Fashion Week held as a virtual event this season has concluded on February 23 and demonstrated that creativity does not stop during hard times and the serial lockdowns did not dampen the spirit of the British Fashion Council nor its ability to stage a successful event, at least from the online experience point of view.

Simone Rocha AW21

The digital show took place for the first time from February 19 to 23, during which more than 90 designers across menswear and womenswear showcased their autumn /winter 2021 collections via a number of ways: the catwalk, a film, a presentation, a lookbook shoot or installation on the LondonFashionWeek.co.uk digital site, in the absence of physical audiences.

Erdem Aw21

Simone Rocha AW21

Bethany Williams presented her new gender-neutral capsule coat collection exclusively for Selfridges.

Dunhill AW21

The London Fashion Week designers had been able to produce their presentations under various formats under strict Covid protocol.  According to organisers, London Fashion Week had worked closely with the Westminster Council to secure free Covid-19 tests for models and production crews.

A packed full schedule was put in place featuring designers from Molly Goddard, and Roksanda to Simone Rocha, Temperley London, Richard Quinn, Erdem, Osman, Emilia Wickstead, Edward Crutchley, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, Edeline Lee and Daniel w. Fletcher.

Priya Ahluwalia, recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design 2021.

Highlights included Bora Aksu who showcased his collection with a catwalk show film at the Tate Britain.  While Rixo debuted its bridal collection, Paul Costelloe celebrated 35 years at London Fashion Week with a live catwalk show.

Stephen Jones 

This season both menswear and womenswear designers were included with Burberry presenting only its menswear autumn/winter 2021 collection alongside other menswear talents Ahluwalia, Bethany Williams, Bianca Saunders, Dunhill, Tokyo James, Saul Nash, and Nicholas Daley.

Apujan AW21

Accessory brands were also on show, including Church’s, Roker, Hill and Friends, Stephen Jones Millinery, Hillier Bartley, Misa Harada, and Isosceles, as well as newcomers such as jewellery brand Completedworks and Lagos-born, Glasgow-raised Olubiyi Thomas, both shortlisted for the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund 2021, and including Av Vattev, Bmuet(te), Eirinn Hayhow, Geo, IA London, Jenn Lee, Kaushik Velendra, Labrum London, Maxxij, Mithridate, Published by, Ray Chu, Tokyo James and Yuhan Wang.

Priya Ahluwalia Receives the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design

Congratulations to Priya Ahluwalia of Ahluwalia for receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, announced on February 23 2021 by the British Fashion Council (BFC) on the final day of this season’s London Fashion Week which has gone digital for the first time due to the Covid19 pandemic.

The Ahluwalia Autumn Winter 2021 collection was presented at London Fashion Week digital event.  Priya’s video entitled Traces  showcased a menswear collection rich in colours, from red and yellow to ombré greens and blues.  The range of sporty ensembles with tailoring is highlighted with bold graphic emblems and prints, on sustainable materials. 
Photos by Laurence Ellis.

The Award was presented by Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex, on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, during a virtual event.

Ahluwalia is recognised for her active contribution to changing the industry for the better, her work in pioneering responsible sourcing and manufacturing techniques, while telling the stories of those who make her clothes and the communities she works with.

The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design was initiated in recognition of the role the fashion industry plays in society and diplomacy and the movement of young designers that are both talented and making a difference to society through either sustainable practices or community engagement.

The inaugural Award was announced and presented to Richard Quinn in February 2018 when The Queen made Her Majesty’s first visit to London Fashion Week. In 2019, the prestigious Award was presented to Bethany Williams by The Duchess of Cornwall and in 2020 to Rosh Mahtani by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal. 

With sustainability and ethical practice always at the heart of the design process, Ahluwalia has been chosen for her focus on craftsmanship and community. Her sustainably minded menswear  collections, made of dead stock and repurposed locally sourced vintage materials, combine elements and influences from her Nigerian and Indian heritage, making her designs truly unique. She is a progressive thinking leader and agent for change who has used her platform to raise awareness around the challenges of the Black community, especially in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Caroline Rush CBE, Chief Executive British Fashion Council (BFC) commented: “We are delighted to announce Priya Ahluwalia as the fourth recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. Ahluwalia’s unique and ethical design process combined with her ability and passion to give back to communities around London and the globe make her an inspiration for many young British designers. We are incredibly proud to recognise Priya and look forward to seeing her business grow.”

Ahluwalia launched her eponymous label in 2018, after graduating from the MA Menswear course at The University of Westminster and winning the H&M Design Award 2019. In 2019, Ahluwalia was a recipient of BFC’s 2019/2020 NEWGEN initiative, the most established designer development scheme globally supporting the very best emerging talent. 

In 2020, Ahluwalia became one of the eight brands to win the LVMH Prize 2020 and was noted on the Forbes 30 under 30 on the European Arts and Culture List. The label also became part of the Matches Fashion’s Innovators programme which champions emerging design talent through mentorship, preferential business terms and marketing.

In November it was announced that Ahluwalia would be taking part in GUCCIFest and showcasing their first feature film, Joy, with Gucci’s support. In December 2020, Ahluwalia was named a People Honouree at The Fashion Awards.

Stephen Jones presents 'French Kiss' Autumn / Winter 2021 collection at London Fashion Week

 

Bluebell by Stephen Jones.

From runways to race-courses, from pop-promos to royal garden parties, millinery by Stephen Jones adds the exclamation mark to every fashion statement.

Stephen Jones and "Madame Fevrier"

Jones makes millinery seem modern and compelling. In materials that are often radical, and in designs that ranged from refined to whimsical, his exquisitely craftes, quixotic hats encapsulated the fashion mood of the moment.

"En Ligne" by Stephen Jones

Now, as ever, at the forefront of fashion, his beguiling hats routinely grace the most celebrated magazine covers and enliven window displays of the world's most stylish stores.