Fur & Fashion

The AW18 catwalks shows were a blockbuster of big colours and statements from all four major fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris. Fur was of course present at these weeks and we have crafted up our review on the fashion weeks and the best fur pieces on display during the past couple months.

 

New York:

 

A city that is fit to kick off the official fashion month, New York offered an eclectic and varied range of inspirations and certainly no half measures were taken. Philip Plein provided us with a spaceship, a robot and a whole lot of fur. The German’s Barbarella inspiration came in glamorous sportswear which was accompanied with furry yeti boots and a standout pink and white fluffy coat.

 

Oscar de la Renta’s Creative Directors Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia produced a fairy tale of luxurious gowns made of Swakara and a collection that hinged on a balance of decoration and colour.

 

Alexander Wang perfected the edgy glamour look with black and silver incarnations which were both sleek and chic. The pieces were undeniably glamourous thanks to mink trims and patent leather.

 

Dennis Basso continued the proclaim as ‘The King of fur’ with heavenly pieces that saw its fair share of mink, sable and chinchilla, resulting in a youthful wearable look. Basso already included the long trend of athleisure, which translated into fur cardigans and hoodies.

 

 

London:

 

The ultimate fashion royalty attended London Fashion Week, as Her Majesty The Queen joined the front row for the first time and was certainly not disappointed as she attended the show of Richard Quinn.

 

Christopher Bailey bowing out from Burberry was the main talking point coming into the English capital and the quintessential weather for the perfect setting for the trench coat. The star-studded event was concluded by Cara Delevingne making a rare catwalk appearance in a rainbow coloured shearling outfit. The show featured many references to the familiar Burberry check, which was worked into a number of jackets, caps and tops, along with some gorgeous gowns and stylish bomber jackets
Elsewhere, Simone Rocha continued her strong presence in London with dressed models in frilly gold or black tulle and lace dresses over slim tailored pieces such as a buttoned-up shirt or a trouser suit. The outfits were finished off with mannish brogue shoes or furry flat slippers.

 

Christopher Kane broke the mould for London Fashion Week and showcased his individuality by creating a delicious range of daring pieces. The show took place on a simple runway that gave spotlight to the flirtatious pieces that included dresses with bold, colourful crystals and skirts with fur trims.

 

 

 

 

Milan:

 

Statement coats dominated the runways this season. Marni showed these in bright, patent cobalt blues and greens, while Alberta Ferretti presented knee-grazing trench coats in amongst its gothic but glamourous collection.

 

Fendi was loving the 80’s vibe this season and between Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Fendi, the duo achieved together a balance of high fashion and a sense of fun. Menswear plaids and checks in greys and browns set the tone for the collection. A slight millennial twist was included in the form of fur sweatshirts and the lavish matching blazer and miniskirt also set tails wagging.

 

 

Meanwhile at Roberto Cavalli, Paul Surridge’s second womenswear collection graced the fashion house tried and true battle horses – slinky dresses, glam rock, animal prints and prestigious furs and reinvents them for the next Cavalli generation.

 

Dolce & Gabbana showed a glimpse of the future in Milan by sending drones down the runway to model their latest handbags, when the real models came. Fortunately, the outfits were back on the models shortly after which were fun and varied, from sequin encrusted jerseys and athletic-striped trousers proclaiming, “Fashion Devotion,” to a coordinated zebra-striped jacket, leggings and shoes, to pretty chiffon dresses in florals and lingerie-inspired dresses.

 

There were angelic looks, too: sequinned dresses with cherubs and miniskirts with detailing that might as well have been taken from church ceilings, worn with bejewelled cross necklaces.

 

 

Paris:

From airports to space stations, Chanel has wowed audiences over the years with their scenic sets. Fall 2018 was no different as the natural elements were out in full force as the Grand Palais transformed into the woods. Taking the season quite literally, the Chanel set embraced fall in every way possible—from leaf-covered invitations to leaf-covered floors. As for the collection itself, models paraded through piles of leaves in an astounding total of 80 fall-ready looks that varied from Chanel’s classic tweed to fur coats, black lace gowns and oversized scarves.

 

The rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic that Anthony Vaccarello has brought to the French house Saint Laurent is not only strong branding-wise, it’s a real crowd pleaser. The first quarter of the show was a parade of monochromatic, moody black, with variations in both texture and inspiration to spice things up. There were also furry, Ugg-like booties and equally fuzzy hats that gave the illusion of ’80s-rocker mullets, as well as the impeccably fitted outerwear — in furs, leathers and more.

 

Sonia Rykiel’s 2018 fall collection was a celebration of her 50^th anniversary. The clothes reflected a woman’s diversity of moods: the flamboyance of Mongolian fur hats, coats and boots; the cosy zeal of layered knit plaids and flirty clingy striped knits. The models walked arm in arm in coordinated outfits to complete a fun, entertaining show.