Jameela Jamil strutted into town to host GQ's Menswear S/S '11 Selfridges preview.
The stylish T4 presenter donned an ethereal floral dress, complete with signature skyscraper heels, to act as an MC for the event alongside Robert Johnson, Associate Editor of GQ, and Selfridges’ Menswear Buying Manager Adam Kelly.
12 key looks for the upcoming months were showcased to a rapt crowd of industry insiders and fashion junkies alike, with catwalk heavy hitters such as Burberry and Ralph Lauren taking the lead.
Spring Summer ’11 sees menswear stepping away from the utilitarian theme, which has been influencing both designers and the high street for past few seasons, replaced by a new wave of retro romance at the heart of many collections.
Playful Hawaiian shirts paired with relaxed camel tones and casual tailoring gave a wartime Americana feel, harking back to the iconic film South Pacific. The approach felt fresh, with Paul Smith and Scotch & Soda amongst others encouraging us to delve into the past.
Whilst some looked across the pond, the queen of understated cool Jil Sander took the helm of the British
revival, channeling the English Rivera circa 1930 with a nautical theme, complete with thoughts of fondant-toned beach huts and Brighton rock. Whimsical was the word for many designers’ offerings; junior label Upcoming paid homage to Charlie Chaplin with their leisurely suiting, and Galliano cropped shorts for a schoolboy innocence.
The 1970’s are proving to be the decade du jour this summer, and bestowed an easy balance of sun-soaked opulence and relaxed cool. Dries Van Noten offered contemporary sportswear with bleached denim, cotton suiting and a range of loafers, Marc Jacobs threw vibrant neutrals into the mix, and Sundek, a new addition to the Selfridges catalogue, provided kaleidoscopic swimwear.
In these times, the recession is not far from our minds, but a new mood seemed to sweep over the SS ’11 runways, supplying brights, neons and fluros, stepping away from the past season’s dark monochromes. Miuccia Prada, as ever, supplied the perfect snapshot of the summer, with clean, sharp textures and patterns. McQueen looked East, with a distinct oriental direction, and Moschino took pointers from pop art.
Of course, the show was fabulously put together by the team at Selfridges, but you’d expect no less. A full range of in-store accessories were also on show, including the classic Tod’s espadrille and boat shoes, adding the finishing touches to classic and contemporary looks, all beautifully styled, providing the ultimate capsule collection for the summer.
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