FLORENCE – During my recent trip to Florence for the Firenze4Ever event as the Singapore ambassador for cult luxury online store luisaviaroma.com, I had the chance to sit down with Luisaviaroma’s buyer and stylist, Carmel Walsh, for a little fashion chat on a lovely winter afternoon on the roof terrace of the store.
Singapore’s godfather of fashion Daniel Boey with Luisaviaroma’s stylist and buyer Carmel Walsh during the recent Firenze4Ever event in Florence. Image: Daniel Boey
Here are Carmel’s tips on which four fashion labels you should be buying for Spring Summer 2014 …
1. CHRISTOPHER KANE
Christopher Kane Spring Summer 2014. Image: Showbit
“He has exciting floral resort pieces for both men and women … it’s graphic and modern, with great colour and bold exaggerated embroidery juxtaposed against simple shapes and details statement pieces, but in a clean, simple, completely “un-showy” kind of way; a great design aesthetic,” says Carmel
2. JW ANDERSON
JW Anderson Spring Summer 2014. Image: Showbit
“To me, he is the new Margiela. An exciting, contemporary art feel [although] it’s rather hard to wear but will look great on the slim, petite Asian frame.”
3. DRIES VAN NOTEN (Menswear)
Dries Van Noten Menswear Spring Summer 2014. Image: Showbit
“Lovely, feminine fabrics and techniques, but with well-cut, controlled, formal tailoring. [The] incredible delicacy of feminine fabric is poetic and elegant; mysterious. It’s perfectly simple, tailored and transparent yet with masculine touch,” says Carmel.
4. GIVENCHY (Menswear)
Givenchy Menswear Spring Summer 2014. Image: Showbit
“What an explosive collection ‒ fun, boisterous, modern. [The collection] is overflowing with flower blossoms for Spring Summer and manly, macho tribal elements. There is also a lot of research on fabric movement and fabric application techniques; so many options different styling options.”
CARMEL’S OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE SEASON
“It’s a fun season because of the extensive amount of research that has gone into fabric application techniques, for example new ways of laser cutting etc; an intriguing use of technology,” says Carmel. “It’s happy and gay, with the flower trend for spring summer creating a bright and cheerful vibe for the season.”
Flowers and technical fabrics are musts for Spring Summer 2014. Image: Daniel Boey
So there you go; check out Christopher Kane and JW Anderson for womenswear, and Dries Van Noten and Givenchy for menswear for Spring Summer 2014 dressing; it’s about about flowers and being “happy and gay”.
To shop Luisaviaroma, go to www.luisaviaroma.com. Follow Daniel Boey on his blog at misterdanielboey.com; on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DanielBoey1965; on Twitter at @_danielboey and on Instagram at @danielboey.