Women planning their weddings in Sydney are about to feel faint – Vera Wang’s latest boutique has opened in town…
Fashionistas living in Sydney are having all the fun this year. And, luckily, it’s not just the women who are garnering the spoils – it’s the men, too.
A swathe of new stores are opening Sydney retail space. TopShop, the European shopping phenomenon, along with TopMan, its male element, will open in the Gowings Building in October, feeding the cool young things who love rapid turnover and Brit-style.
TopShop is one of the world’s most successful high-street brands, collaborating with Kate Moss and appearing regularly on Rihanna.
TopMan is no slouch, either. There’s a gap in the Aussie market for inexpensive, high-fashion menswear – the recession has meant many cooler businesses haven’t had luck attracting customers, and it’s time the men got themselves some cutting-edge clothing.
They’re hoping to create a ‘uniquely British shopping experience’ – though what that is, we can’t quite tell yet. Possibly there will be corgis in the personal shopping staff.
The other big news is that Vera Wang is opening her first Sydney boutique. Yes, that Vera Wang. The one who dresses everybody from Uma Thurman to – possibly less illustriously – Kim Kardashian, and has cornered the bridal market in an unprecedented way.
Her shop in the InterContinental is the culmination of a 20 year career – Wang started as a fashion editor at Vogue before becoming rich and famous as bridal designer to every celebrity worth their salt.
Wang’s designs aren’t for the shrinking violet or the non-traditional bride – the 2012 collection is ‘an ode to the Paris Opera’, hence mountains of tulle and copious bare shoulders – but we imagine many Sydney brides-to-be will be champing at the bit to have a fitting at the exclusive salon.
Image: Vera Wang.
Roland Mouret is perhaps most famous for the ‘Galaxy’ dress which took the fashion world by storm and was worn by everybody and their dog.
However, now he’s making a splash in a different way – by collaborating with Duchess Catherine, and trying to convince her to go beyond her normal proper look to something ‘racier’.
Mouret shocked and delighted the British press when the Duchess turned up at a luxury dinner at Claridge’s wearing a gown of his design with a thigh-high split. It sparked a lot of debate about modesty and fashion, but Mouret couldn’t care less.
“I think it was quite fantastic there was a split up the front,” he said dramatically to reporters. “That picture of a woman when you catch a little of the leg, that’s what you want to see. It’s that notion of privacy. It’s something that should be for her husband and she just shows a glimpse of it and I think that is one of the more amazing moments of life. You feel happy when you see that.”
Prince William’s wife has caused a minor furor this week by revealing she’s spent 45,000 pounds on clothes in the past six months alone – mostly because, the British Palace revealed, she insists on paying full price for everything and never accepts free clothing or discounts.
If she’s sent an item for free and happens to like it, she orders her personal secretary to buy another – at the full retail price. Considering her taste for McQueen, this has become an expensive point of policy.
The Duchess also collaborates with several designers regularly – Sarah Burton, who was given an OBE to thank her for the wedding gown of the century, is one, but Mouret is hoping to be another.
Do you think Mouret did a good job?
Image: Duchess Catherine in the Roland Mouret gown.
Australian wool is a fashion favourite, and now Vivienne Westwood’s creations entirely in wool are available for sale.
Woolmark had an exclusive partnership with Westwood for her Autumn/Winter 2012-13 collection, which was all merino wool – every single garment. It showed at Paris Fashion Week, at the Cite de la mode et du design – one of the most prestigious showing areas.
Wool is a more flexible and breathable material than many people think, and merino is one of the highest-quality materials around. Westwood herself formed a partnership with Woolmark less for business reasons than because of her own sheer love of the material.
At the original show in March, Westwood extolled its virtues to reporters: “Wool is one of the world’s great natural fibres, famous for its versatility and comfort – warm in winter, cool in summer, it is incredibly versatile. When I began as a fashion designer, well over thirty years ago, I succeeded in re-introducing into fashion the idea of fine knitwear, the English twinset. Everybody loves this fine knitwear. It’s so light, so comfortable. You can add more than one layer and it looks great.” You can’t do better for an endorsement than that.
The Merino Laine collection isn’t available in Australian stores, but thanks to the wonders of the internet you can get it online at Westwood’s store.
Our favourite piece? The gigantic, full-body sheep’s-wool cloak-coat. You can’t ask for something more dramatic than that – and it elevates merino from humble sweater material to high fashion in one fell swoop.
Will you be buying some Merino Laine for your winter wardrobe?
Image: Sheep’s-wool coat from Vivienne Westwood.
With Louis Vuitton setting up pop-up shops all over the world to celebrate their collaboration with dot-obsessed artist Yayoi Kusama, the fashion world is seeing spots in front of its eyes.
Here’s RESCU’s guide to wearing polka dots without looking like Minnie Mouse.
Small, delicate dots are generally more flattering than large, splashed-about ones. Look for pieces which use a good contrasting colour – blue or black backgrounds against white dots are popular, but there’s all kinds out there. Louis Vuitton’s special capsule collection with Kusama uses ochre with dark dots, like a refined leopard-print.
Accessories aren’t off the board, either. Far from it; Marni produces polka-dot wallets, and Charlotte Olympia’s Kabuki heel – which takes inspiration from Japanese culture with a high white lift to imitate geisha sandals – is a big seller. Its polka dots are irregularly shaped and scattered.
Your options are endless. The biggest polka-dot look is inspired by Stella McCartney – an all-over print in fine dots, on a loose pajama-top and pants. Wear with heels and you’re directly off the runway.
However, there are more niche looks – printed silk blouses are one of the easier ways to pick up on the trend. Look for one with complex prints – ombre, for example, or scattered dots rather than uniform ones – to add interest and chic.
Pair with black pants for evening or an A-line skirt for day; it’s a nice antidote to the current Versace-lite trend in shirts.
If you want to wear polka dots all over, make sure they’re of a uniform size or colour – nobody wants to look as if they got dressed in the dark. You’ll still turn heads, but hopefully for a good reason. If you’re dotting up the accessories, leave the clothing, and vice versa.
Not wanting to splash out? Find a T-shirt with a polka-dot detail – ASOS is selling lovely men’s ones with polka-dot pockets, perfect for loose wear under winter jackets.
It’s a trend which won’t go away – and we predict that come summer, every other silk dress will be spotted and dotted…
Image: Charlotte Olympia Kabuki heels.
