Head in the Clouds...
Corrie Nielsen LFW SS12 by Christoper Dadey
I very nearly didn’t make it to the Corrie Nielson S/S 2012 show at London Fashion Week. Although Mariana of Sketchbook Magazine and I had made an expeditious exit from the Paul Costelloe show, at 10am, when the show was scheduled to start, we found ourselves pacing back and forth on New Oxford Street, quite the befuddled pair as we tried to figure out the location of the Old Sorting Office. We were very fortunate to seize the mercy of a woman working close to the venue who put us out of our misery and pointed us in the right direction.
Audience at Corrie Nielsen London Fashion Week S/S 2012 by Akeela Bhattay
Having researched Corrie Nielsen, I had found her winning collection from Fashion Fringe 2010 to be incredible, in their design, construction and detail and having missed her A/W 2011 show, missing this one was not an option.
Corrie Nielsen LFW SS12 by Christoper Dadey
Corrie Nielsen LFW SS12 by Christoper Dadey
I found the Old Sorting Office to be, well, ‘old’ firstly, with the semblance of a derelict warehouse transformed into a mysterious cavern, dimly lit by a sheet of large domical bulbs. The audience was already spilling out over the designated arena, but once again fortune was on my side and I found my seat on the front row. The lovely people at Forward PR are always generous to their guests, but this time they really had outdone themselves; of course there was a bag filled with luxury hair products and the like, but it was triumphantly accompanied by a box of mini cakes.
As the lights dimmed and the hum of music in the distance echoed, alerting us of the commencement of the show, I found my view somewhat distorted from either side, by magnificent digital SLRs and their long protruding lenses. It wasn’t going to be easy getting decent snaps, but I would damn well try. (You will have realised by now that the results were inadequate.)
First to amble onto the runway was a simple, very wearable, very black dress – not really terms commonly associated with Corrie Nielson, but as the show progressed, each ensemble appeared to gather little by little, the spirit of the designer’s signature style; her accentuated and explicit silhouettes, married with recherché fabrics and a distinct hint of the past.
Corrie Nielsen LFW SS12 by Christoper Dadey
This new collection titled, Arbiter Eligantiarum (a judge or authority on the matters of taste) draws in the wailing darkness of the Victorian era but plays on the notion of duplicity by bringing historical influences into the present and incorporating a modern Japanese twist. Serving as inspiration is Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and the Gothic characteristics were clearly evidenced in many of the designs. The hair was reminiscent of those styles portrayed in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre and harked back to a bleak and repressed time and became the ideal accompaniment to the rest of the production.
The colour palette was modest, with natural earthy tones accompanying monochrome, greys and blues. It is in the design and construction of the garments where extravagance found success, revealing each ensemble to be perfect; cool and understated, yet conspicuous and unique.
Over sized collars, mandarin collars and pussy bows prevailed where detail was concerned, as did blouson sleeves, bulbous skirts and projecting waists. My favourite detail sat precisely on the lower back of a chartreuse jacket; tightly and intricately assembled pleats, like that of an accordion. My favourite pieces were the coffee coloured, polka-dot dress with the delicate lace collar worn with the kimono style cloak and the final outfit, a rich blue floor length skirt with a kimono style jacket in the same colour. What warranted a chorus of delighted sighs though, was the sharply pleated, strictly silhoueted and firmly corseted, stark white, tulip shaped dress.
Corrie Nielsen LFW SS12 by Christoper Dadey
What really impressed me about Corrie’s designs was her dedication to producing such perfectly crafted garments. The stitching appeared immaculate and the fabrics draped precisely and elegantly.
Later on at London Fashion Week, I enthused about Corrie Nielsen’s S/S 2012 collection to the stylist of the production, Fiona Fletcher who told me that the designer had worked arduously on the collection and had had little rest in the days prior to her show. Well, it was worth it Corrie, it really was. A fantastic show and a beautiful collection.
The designer herself: Corrie Nielsen ( S/S 2012 LFW)
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