It's no secret that times have been hard at Gianfranco Ferré. Back in January they announced that they will not have a catwalk show for their menswear collection and last year they were facing bankruptcy after a big investor decided to pull out but it looks like things are picking up.
Yesterday Grazia's Paula Reed tweeted that Graeme Black has been appointed as the brand's new creative director. The move would definitely be a good one. We haven't heard from Black in a while but loved his namesake line so are confident that he could inject something new to the brand, which is definitely needed after a series of collections that lacked energy.
Seen on the Spring/Summer catwalks of DKNY, Chloe and Graeme Black this trend is one to serve you well throughout the year. A smarter alternative to jeans or leggings this look can be teamed with sandals, boots or brogues. These London trendsetter's all work the look in their own individual way, whether its quirky coloured socks or smartened up with a blazer.
Michelle Obama, you might have some competition for the most-fashionable first lady award. After throwing a seriously stylish party on Friday at No 10, Sarah Brown carried on to attend Graeme Black's Spring 2010 catwalk show. Naturally, she sat front row - wearing a custom-made outfit of a ribbed jersey jacket and wide-legged trousers from the designer.
Brown has worn Graeme Black plenty of times, and maybe it's the Scottish designer we have to thank for improving the First Lady's fashion sense. "It's all lovely," Brown said of Black's latest collection. "I love Graeme Black...I loved the jackets and the evening wear."
So will our next Fash Off pit Sarah Brown in one corner, Michelle Obama in the other, and maybe a little Carla Bruni-Sarkozy for good measure? With Brown's good taste building, we see it coming.
Graeme Black Pre-Show, London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2009
Graeme Black took top honours as Scottish Designer of the Year at last night's Scottish Fashion Awards, organised in association with Vogue.com. "Despite the incredible talent of his competition, it was a pleasure to see Graeme win," says Dolly Jones, Vogue.com editor and SFA judge. "His is a classic style infused with modern details, often inspired by his Scottish heritage, so it seems fitting that he should take this year's prize."
Other winners at the ceremony, held at Stirling Castle, included Hall of Fame inductee Pam Hogg, Scottish Retailer or the Year Michelle Mone (of Ultimo) and Scottish Textile Brand of the Year Harris Tweed Hebrides. Gillian Cook earned the Model of the Year prize, and Communcator of the Year was Nick Ede.
Now this is something interesting. While the world's designers are fighting to get their clothes on the back of First Lady Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni Sarkozy, our Prime Minister's wife Sarah Brown, is renting pieces from Graeme Black and picking up any pieces from Marks & Spencer that she can.
Whilst most designers are pulling back from the extravagant show locations that we’ve seen in the past, Graeme Black is moving the opposite way. The show took place in Spencer House, originally owned by Princess Diana’s family and now home to the Rothchilds. Not bad for a designer that showed his debut collection at London Fashion Week in 2005.
The inspiration for the collection was not as planned as Black’s choice in venue. The collection was spurred from a wrong turn in the Natural History Museum into the mineral room.
