Alexander McQueen Autumn Winter 2010/11

As we usher off the last of this seasons catwalk shows, we are reminded that the shows shown in February are dribbling into the shops with the Autumn Winter trends. While this might feel like old news it is worth reflecting on, as the commercial impact of these designs has yet to be tested.

In my opinion a current of minimalism pumps through fashion’s main vein this season, and while we do see interesting deviations from the beat of this austere black pulse, clothes are largely as Phoebe Philo described her Autumn/Winter collection “strong, powerful, and reduced”. There are, as always, two fashion camps: those that know it is Autumn/Winter and have a sense of the public’s mood and those who are trapped in a fashion fantasy and have no idea which way is up. Broadly, this season can be broken in half; the saintly, commercial, wearable and disciplined collections and the mad, bad, glorious and strange. The eight key trends I think you should know about this Autumn Winter are:

1: Femme Fatale

Think: Film Noir meets Jessica Rabbit
Look: Dangerous and provocative
Buy: A new little black dress.

2: Pastel power

Think: Marshmallows
Look: Dusty and pure
Buy: A powder-coloured cashmere jumper.

3: Leather me up

Think: Gestapo
Look: As if you are about to pilot a propeller plane in 1953
Buy: A long line leather coat.

4: Tall Tails

Think: Penguin
Look: Polished and purposeful
Buy: Swallow-tailed jacket.

5: Cross-dressing

Think: Like a man
Look: Like a woman
Buy: A tailored three-piece trouser suit.

6: Stepford Wife

Think: Like a domestic goddess
Look: Polished to perfection
Buy: Hairspray and a new length pencil skirt.

7: Column on

Think: Architecture
Look: Minimal and edgy
Buy: A beige column skirt.

8: Drop the Waist

Think: Twiggy
Look: Effortlessly cool
Buy: A drop-waisted mini in a structured fabric.

For the full trend reports and more in depth information on this or any other season please contact leonie@blinkic.com.

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