The Ashish show is much loved by the Br(IT) pack. London Fashion Week has got a lot more serious over the last few years compared to the fun creative days so many see the brand as a nod back to those days. For that designer Ashish Gupta deserves praise. Since launching on the scene 11 years ago, he has been uncompromising in sticking to his vision. Today, his signature sequins came on mini dresses with a hand giving the deuces sign and they also popped up on sports tops and trousers alongside tie die prints and Indian elements.
That said, the brand hasn't excited for a very long time and that didn't change with the fall collection. Rather than doing something different with the sequins, each season they are presented in the same way making the brand seem like a one trick pony. In seasons to come it would be great for Gupta to show us what we can do and incorporating the sequins naturally into the garments rather than letting them be the sole focus.
The Ashish show is always a fun one but if you're not Paloma Faith, the collections aren't always the most wearable pieces but this season was different. Yes his signature sequins appeared but combined with simple knitwear and simple shirts and subtle loose fit shorts, the collection was a lot more customer friendly than his past more-is-more style in past shows. And that's not a bad thing. His sequins are what he's known for but particularly in this ever precarious economic situation, it's good to see the designer step out of his comfort zone and offer something a little different.
Otherwise, the collection was all about florals so was aptly called 'Le Jardin d'Ashish'. Huge sunflowers popped up over black and white stripes on dresses and yellow and orange and red and blue flowers also came on slouchy trousers teamed with a contrasting brick effect top. Even the biker boots came with flowers tucked into the tongues.
You can always rely on Ashish Gupta to be playful and go against the grain. This season, the Indian-born, London-based designer paid homage to all things British by showing the union jag on everything from men's shorts in sequins to women's t-shirts. It didn't end there. Tartan appeared on low-slung trousers with a cropped black long-sleeved top with skeleton print, and a Benetton-striped jumper was teamed with the print in bright red and blue. A yellow chunky knit dress came with holes teamed with tights with spider-web detail on the knees, and light-wash jeans came distressed with tears all over.
As of Wednesday, you'll be able to pick up Ashish's second capsule collection for Topshop - and if you're looking for a Rihanna-hits-the-gym outfit, then you're in luck. The designer has only turned out seven pieces, and three of those could be pieces of a light-grey sweatsuit. Three pieces also come with full-on spikes, and as an addd bonus, Ashish has included both a spiked sweatshirt and sweatpants. For your feet, the collection includes monster gold wedges.
We'd make note of this more casual turn for the designer, but then again, everyone is doing the American-football jersey thing this season. And if you can't afford Alexander Wang, then looks like it's Topshop all the way.
We all love a good post-holiday bargain, so the new set of London Fashion Week designer collaborations for Topshop can't come soon enough. Ann-Sofie Back will roll out a goth-inspired, seven-piece collection on 6 January, with a highly reasonable price range of £50 to £60. The most expensive piece in the collection is a slashed black jumper dress, and the easiest on the pocket is a T-shirt dress in grey.
Jonathan Saunders, whom we're excited to have back at London Fashion Week after a stint in New York, has a Topshop collection coming out on 20 January. Some highlights? A cropped strapless basque for £40 and a pencil skirt for £50.
But in the big month, February, we can expect a collection from Ashish. Starting 3 February, you can nab a studded, Rihanna-esque biker jacket for £150, to go with the rest of the designer's pieces, which are inspired by none other than tracksuits. Expect cropped jogging bottoms and sweater tops, according to the Telegraph, and prepare yourself for a sporty season indeed.
For Spring/Summer 2008, we saw the legendary Prince perform at Matthew Williamson's show and last season saw VV Brown perfrom at Ashish during London Fashion Week at London's Hippodrome.
For their Spring/Summer 2010 collection, design duo Victor & Rolf followed suit with a performer at their show during Paris Fashion Week. Sporting a huge pink tutu dress with black jeans, the highly pregnant Róisín Murphy wowed the crowd at the brand's show performing two of her new tracks, 'Royality' and 'Demon Lover'.
The ornateness of the Baroque era plus the sharp edges of the geometry craze plus lots and lots of thigh: these are a few of Donatella Versace's favourite things. At first glimpse, it would seem that the Spring '10 Versace show focused on showing skin any possible way, but it's not quite so simple. Now that Balmain has everyone rolling out their best version of the minidress, Donatella decided to show everyone what she's made of.
For her, that would involve studs, glitter, and prints that run the gamut from Eley Kishimoto to Ashish, to pull in London references. Did we get some Anglomania in the mod-ish, black-and-white skinny-skinny trousers? Yep. A bit of the wild side with crazy-print sheer skirts? Sure. And just for good measure, Versace tossed in tough Grecian details, which made it pretty clear that her evening gowns could kick other designers' evening gowns' asses.
This is a throwback to the '90s, when Gianni was the name on everyone's lips. This is Versace, people, and this is how it's done.
Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child, is here in London at the moment playing Roxie Hart in the West End's, 'Chicago'. However, this afternoon the singer stepped away from the stage to watch the Spring/Summer 2010 Ashish collection at Somerset House.
Styling Tip: If wearing sequins on your clothes are a bit too much but you still want to incoporate the style into your wardrobe, stick to sequins on bags and accessories for a subtle take on the trend.
Dark and dreary winter months doesn't mean your wardrobe needs to be the same. Inject a bit of fun into your wardrobe come fall with sequins. If you're daring, go for a statement sequin dress for evening or like at Ashish, wear a basic outfit and make your sequins the focal point.
It's official, or should I say L'Officiel, VV Brown fever is here to stay. The singer looked chic in a white and black jumpsuit with padded shoulders with black sequins as she performed last night at the Official Launch event with L'Officiel in Cannes.
From performing a six song set at the Ashish show at London Fashion Week in February, the entertainment and fashion world have gone crazy for the British quiffed singer.
