Oh the weather outside is frightful. But the fire is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go…well, why don’t we have a sneak peek at Lipsy’s delicious spring/summer 13 collection? There’s nothing like a splash of neon, some warming florals and a bucket load of embellishment to keep the icicles at bay. Nope, I haven’t bought any of my Christmas presents either, but the fashion world waits for no one!
Last Thursday, I was invited to preview Lipsy’s SS13 collection in Cavendish Square Gardens. With Fashion Week dancing around fanatically in my memory, I was super excited to see how Lipsy had interpreted the catwalks for their own collection. Spring/Summer 13 welcomed an assortment of monochrome in amongst its expected pastel palette, so I was hoping to see a range of wearable black and white pieces as well as a generous helping of knock-out party dresses. After all, the sexy party piece is Lipsy’s signature style, right?
Just off Regent Street, Cavendish Square Gardens was oozing with charm and elegance. From the glittering pine trees dotted around the gardens to the magnificent Grade II listed town houses, the stylish square was lit up with Christmas sparkle. The whole area was totally glam and formal – much like the Lipsy brand itself. The event took place inside an equally majestic town house, and I found myself being treated to drinks and cupcakes (don’t mind if I do) as soon as I walked through the door!
I was greeted by the beautiful Shani Chaplin, PR coordinator for Lipsy, who kindly talked me through the inspiration behind each collection. First up, The Powder Room!
No spring/summer wardrobe would be complete without a sugary display of pastels, and Lipsy certainly didn’t disappoint in this area. For SS13, Lipsy’s pastels are going softer; think whipped butter icing, Cadbury’s mini eggs or sweet freshwater pearls. With these gentle pastels at play, Lipsy’s Powder Room collection may just be the prettiest yet. The section boasted a delicious mixture of embellishment and texture; a miniskirt dusted in sequins, a feminine lace number in soft lilac and an array of sherbet-hued peplum tops adorned with white and muted silver beading, (to name a few stand-out pieces).
Spring’s signature floral print did make an appearance, but it was brighter and more dynamic than the usual colourway and it was refreshing to see that the rail wasn’t defined by florals.
I loved this particular piece for its candy-cane stripes and play on different textures. This was a technique seen at the SS13 shows, and reminded me specifically of Chloé. Clare Waight Keller, Chloé’s creative director, played with layering throughout the entire collection, paying particular attention to the transparent vs. the solid. One of my favourite things about Lipsy is the way they take inspiration from the catwalk and turn it into something completely wearable, like this pretty-enough-to-eat striped number!
The latest technique for Lipsy’s spring collection uses 3D embellishment in the form of exaggerated petals (again, a technique seen on a rather memorable miniskirt at the Chloé show). Lipsy’s white-on-white palette is clean and feminine and the statement petals bring a touch of the brand’s flirty, feminine roots back into the collection.
Finally, matchy-matchy pieces are still going strong for SS13. Last year saw celebs and fashionistas alike pining after Lipsy’s 60’s-inspired short suits, so it’s no wonder they’ve brought them back. With an even simpler silhouette for spring, the scalloped hems of SS12 are being ditched for straight hems and delicate coral lace.
With my sweet tooth well and truly satisfied, I moved on to the collection I was most looking forward to; Monochrome Mistress. With a nod towards Givenchy, Missoni, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton and more, Lipsy took the catwalk’s 60’s-inspired geometry and ran with it, creating a statement in monochrome. The Marc Jacobs SS13 show had critics and fans in a black and white striped frenzy as 21st century versions of Edie Sedgwick (60’s IT girl) came charging down the runway in bold, eye-popping black and white stripes. Lipsy’s Monochrome Mistress combines all the mod-inspiration from the catwalk with the ultimate glam-factor you’d expect from the super feminine brand.
Lipsy’s signature bodycon dress gets a minimalist revamp in this collection, with futuristic black and white prints, mesh cut-outs, all-over horizontal stripes and feminine black on white cornelli detailing. Matchy-matchy pieces are dotted throughout, with classy pencil skirts being paired with sleeveless peplum tops, Chanel-esque shorts matched with cropped blazer tops and (my personal favourite) a beaded polo-neck crop top with a matching glittery pencil skirt.
Lipsy’s unique spin on this section involved the use of eye-catching metal accents. From studded detailing on the short suits to light-catching silver belts and statement gold choker necklines, these extra details turned the monochrome collection into Lipsy’s own.
After a generous helping of black and white, Lipsy’s third collection was split into three vibrant sections; Warrior Princess, Sn-aked and Zanzibar. Warrior Princess saw a shift away from the Aztec-inspired looks of last year and a cool nod in the direction of warrior chic. Yup, spring’s prints are tougher, sexier and brighter with more striking metal trims, a handful of super sexy leather inserts and a splash of oriental inspiration.
Sn-aked saw geometric reptile prints in washed-out tones with splashes of neon yellow and pink, whilst Zanzibar made a tropical statement with rainbow brights, bandeau party numbers, signature bandage dresses, holiday maxis and ombre prints. Think cocktails on the beach, clubbing with the girls and hot dinner dates with that tall, handsome stranger!
Lipsy’s jewellery collection for SS13 is equally eye-catching, with statement floral rings, over-sized earrings and bright floral headpieces. It’s safe to say that neons are officially making a comeback too. Hurrah!
I have to admit that my own wardrobe is a bit of a stranger to the Lipsy label, but after last week’s event I am well and truly won over. Whilst they are still predominately the masters of sexy party wear, their pretty, detailed separates are very wearable and I have my eye on a couple of the monochrome pieces. My goody bag consisted of a sample of Lipsy’s brand spanking new fragrance, Love, and a discount voucher to use on an item of my choice. (It looks like my wardrobe will be more familiar with the London label next season.) Thank you so much to Shani Chaplin and the Lipsy girls for hosting such a fabulous event.
* Georgi Adolpho (in photograph above) is Scarlett London’s brand new fashion writer. She will be attending fashion launches, reporting on what’s hot on the high street and letting us know what to watch out for!
