London Fashion Week: Caroline Charles
Caroline Charles does not design for the young Shoreditch crowd who are so prolific at other London Fashion Week shows. This was a show that attracted a much older crowd, and as such, some of the more mature and intricately embellished pieces looked oddly juxtaposed on the waif-like young models (in fact, we walked behind one of them chatting on her phone saying “I just did a show that was SOOOOO tacky! I LOVED it!” to a friend). Charles designs flattering daywear and the kind of heavily beaded and sequinned items many woman of a certain age choose to wear to formal events. And lest we forget, she’s dressed the likes of Emma Thompson, Lulu, Herry Hall, Barbara Streisand and Dionne Warwick in the past…
The Spring / Summer 08 collection was sent down the catwalk to a soundtrack of Elvis classics, and was split into different looks, all wearable classics that ignored the trends and relied instead on wearability and longevity.
Beginning with subtle animal print swimwear and separates - kaftan, kaftan, kaftan, shift dress, kaftan, slacks, shorts, kaftan - models were accessorised with straw cowboy hats, cowboy boots and the best hair we’ve seen all season (gorgeous mermaid waves over one shoulder). There was a blue and white story, creamy suits and lots of embellished jackets with one button, but the real showstoppers were the wedding dresses and the ‘Vegas nights’ story, full of black sheer layers covered in firework coloured beading, lacy cropped trousers and shell tops with long floaty skirts.
These are not dresses that your average twentysomething would wear on a daily basis, but for Charles’ target consumer, they’re elegant, well constructed and flattering, and they transcend the faddy trends that the more mature consumer is no longer interested in pandering to.
[images: Getty]
