Designer: gavin douglas
Aspects of Gavin Douglas 's A/W '08 collection, seemed to take a nostalgic look back to the disciplined days of the forties and the exuberance felt that war had ended, and the future looked so promising.

Tailored lambs wool jackets, revealed Douglas' experimental cutting and assembly techniques, that were feminised through the incorporation of enlarged folded collars, that progressed around the shoulder.

References to the nautical theme of summer, was also present but, this time Douglas opted to produce his version of the classic sailor pants, in black. Complete with diamanté buttons, silk blouse and askewed hat, this androgynous (yet), relaxed evening look (that supersedes last winters tuxedo), almost harked back to the days when hotel bell-boys catered for a guests every whim.

As though to reinforce the strength and resilience that shone through during that period (now projected into the noughties), Douglas modernised the key shapes of the era, by injecting subtle features.

Shoulder pads (usual used on the inside to add shape to a jacket or dress), were exposed on the outside (in contrasting fabrics like pearlised leather or patent), to give pieces a more distinct, yet edgy appeal. The same trims were added to skirt hems, cuffs and even introduced to dress bodices, to counter balance (or support), the voluminous silk organza skirts which Douglas either ruffled or pleated into enveloping circles, of his design.

Prominent Colours: Charcoal Black, Cream Gold and Pewter Tones

Fabrics/Patterns: Soft Pearlised Leathers, Lambs Wool, Silk Organza

Buyer Contact: Blow

Tel: +44 (0)20 7436 9449 | Fax: +44 (0)20 7436 7027 | E-mail: Info

Address: 29-35 Rathbone Street London W1T 1NJ |

Visit: Blow

Designer: penkov
With pieces inspired by Victoria Beckham's foray into underwear as outerwear, Penkov A/W '08 collection featured a cropped tuxedo jacket worn over a figure hugging satin body, that took eveningwear to bold heights.

The intensity of this streamlined black silhouette baring amples of flesh, continued with a wool two piece made up of a masculine mini skirt (with front continental pockets and zip-fly), and a matching sleeveless tunic, that benefited from contrasting black strips of dotted inlays.

Black woollen versions of the trench coat enhanced with satin lapels, simple shape 3/4 length coats and pencils skirts (showcasing strips of ribbon — that were also placed on the backs of coats); were the signatures of this collection.

Like a spectrum that goes from light to dark, Penkov did the reverse by showing a selection of white Grecian eveningwear dresses (in varying lengths), and a stunning 20's inspired satin dress, toward the end of the show.

In essence, the collection exhibited exactly how a Penkov women would dress from day to night.

Prominent Colours: Black, Grey, Rose Brown, White

Fabrics/Patterns: Wool, Satin, Jersey, Silk

Buyer Contact: Virginia Roffino

Tel: +49 30 4630 9047 | Fax: +49 30 4630 8190 | E-mail: Virginia Roffino

Visit: Penkov

Designer: steve J & yoni p
With an air of modern quirkiness, Steve J & Yoni P's A/W '08 collection effortlessly floated between suiting, casualwear to eveningwear; revealing the full extent of their design capabilities.

Managing to merge together intricate cutting with sumptuous colour combinations (rich with mixed textures and stitch decoration), the collection possessed an upbeat, refreshing vibe, not usually associated with winter clothing. The designs were simple but textured. Black, grey and white formed the base palette for the collection, with multiple shades of blues and reds layered over for colour.

The fabrics used throughout the collection range from luxurious cashmere, fine wool and soft silk, combined with some hand-knit pieces. The choice of fabrics added a soft touch to the elaborately textured pieces.

Shapes and silhouettes varied throughout ranging from hand-knit decorated dresses, to clean cut trousers with a tailored edge. Kimono sleeve jackets and crop jackets teamed with pencil skirts formed the key silhouettes.

Prominent Colours: Biege, Black, Blue, Grey, Red, White and Yellow

Fabrics/Patterns: Cashmere, Fur, Soft Silk and Wool | Vertical Stripes

Buyer Contact: Yoni Pai

Tel: +44 (0)20 7502 8450 | Fax: +44 (0)20 7502 8450 |

E-mail: Sales@stevejandyonip.com

Address: 5 Foulden Terrace London N16 7UT

Visit: Steve J and Yoni P