On a very cold Sunday 12th February I headed on down to Pure London on behalf of Plus Minus magazine to find out what it was all about and gain a peek into AW 17/18 trends. The event takes place twice a year (AW and SS) at London’s Kensington Olympia exhibition hall and is only open to those in the industry.
So whether you’re a store owner, designer, fashion blogger or press, this is a great way to plan and prepare for next season. Even though Summer hasn’t arrived the forecast for Autumn/Winter has been set…
‘For AW17, we move the focus to an energy, an intense, closed feeling. A cold sensation runs down your arm, something is not quite what it seems. Your adrenaline runs high. The excitement of being part of something undiscovered.
Leaves have turned in the crisp air. Nature glistens in the half-light with luxurious, rich colours. Your curiosity urges you to be there. An intense moment between being and nature. A space that’s almost tangible. Let it enchant you. Let your soul be flooded. Bring this deep, eccentric drama to life. One colour, one feeing, one vision. Saturated Soul.
Saturated Soul is inspired by WGSN’s AW17 fashion trend forecast.’
I don’t know about you but the idea of ‘Saturated Soul’ reminds me of those Dementor beings in Harry Potter, a concoction of your happiest and worst memories coming together. This truly does sound enchanting and I can only imagine seeing rich plums, charcoal greys and silk textures on the high street and our wardrobes this Winter…
Kensington Olympia is absolutely huge and if you’re anything like me in Winter (and on a Sunday), you have to dress for warmth and forgo fashion. Cue chunky knits and comfy trainers. Upon entering the venue I was given a guidebook which included all exhibitor details and a map; my best plan was to do what I usually do and get lost. Literally. I stumbled over towards more of the quirky high street section which housed brands like: Daisy Street, Slydes and LYDC London.
What I loved most about seeing all these brands was just seeing the individual pieces instead of mass-manufactured and in a store. It makes you fall in love with fashion just a little more, especially when you can see it up close and don’t have the added pressure of sales assistants floating around (no shade, we’ve all been in a retail job one time or another).
I then listened to a talk from Paula Watson, the current Head of Brand Selection at Lux Fix which noted her ‘steps for success from the first commercial collection’. I had no idea so much went in to audience targeting, what we want as consumers and how we’re influenced but I definitely took away a few things as a blogger, writer and consumer. She mentioned that perhaps it’s not about using the biggest bloggers with the most followers and exposure, it works well for her brand to use micro-influencers who have their own highly engaged followers of their exact target audiences. She also mentioned how powerful Instagram is as a tool in fashion. I wholeheartedly agree; it’s not all about pretty pictures and shots of your avocado on toast, the art of visuals is a great medium, especially when we spend most of our time glued to a screen. Brands are investing heavily in Instagram and it evident from the high-quality photography and art direction around today.
After I’d finished with the talk from Paula Watson, I walked around a little more and I can confirm I am very ready for next Winter, especially the party season. All the faux fur around made me want to book a flight to the Alps and have a chalet-themed photo shoot, all on a lemonade budget. But in all seriousness, fashion is huge business, we all wear clothes, as much as we might say we don’t care, we all have some desire to look good or at least presentable.
For now, I will leave you with some fashion inspiration from the Spirit catwalk…
Char xo
Please note:
- This post will also appear on Plus Minus Magazine where I was asked to review the Eyedoo launch. Do check them out as I write for them too!
Aleksandra says
Looks like this was great fun. I also had no idea the Olimpia was so huge!
memoirsmusings says
Thanks Aleksandra! They have one in summer too 🙂🙂