Walking upstairs at Beaufort House Wednesday night I didn’t quite know what to expect. Greeted by a tray of drinks - passion fruit martinis, mojitos, and red and white wine - and the soft light pouring from the red lampshades beside the bar, what I found was a packed room for Sloane Stanley’s Catwalk @ King's Road fashion event.
The property agency put the night on to “promote their wonderful retailers” and showcase the season ahead of us available in the neighbourhood.
The models included Gabriella, Funda and Cheska (pictured) of Made in Chelsea, strutting down a fabulous deep purple carpet which served as the catwalk. They looked more comfortable in front of the eyes of the crowd than certain cringe-worthy scenes seen played out on camera. Stepping to ambient techno music the best of Autumn/Winter 2011 collections were on display.
With three boutiques showcasing their collections there was a little something for every girl, girlfriend, wife, or sister.
Sparkle was the name of the game from Austique with a side of sass. Made in Chelsea’s Gabriella Ellis gave a flirty swivel of her hips at the end of the runway in an Alice + Olivia glittering beaded dress. Meanwhile it seems everything had a bow, a surprise at the back of a charcoal V-backed maxi dress or a sweet and simple way to fasten the belt on a cardigan. For a cardigan that is a little less simple and a little more show-stopping, try their “Mongolian Front Sweater” by Haute Hippie.
The ‘it’ colour of the night was teal. One stand out by Ghost was the daring marriage of a bright teal satin evening gown with a tiny floral printed Isabelle Crepe Jacket. Just because this was the Autumn Winter collection doesn’t mean our colours go the way of sandals and sunnies. From fuchsia trousers to “golden palm” (somewhere between green and gold), ‘old faithful’ black had some lively company.
Bold colour was one favourite of Laurelle Hughes from the Kensington and Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, the “cerise red silk/satin cocktail dress worn with the red and cream peep-toe shoes.” Modelled by Chelsea’s ‘Girl About Town,’ Francesca “Cheska” Hull, it is the perfect outfit for Chelsea girls to wear when they paint the Royal Borough red.
Or, for the colour-shy, try the Hughes’ other favourite modelled by castmate Funda Onal, a “floaty” grey chiffon knee-length dress edged with silk.
Hughes also liked the versatility of the collections shown, a great example of that was by Anonymous by Ross + Bute. In a word, sleek, their collection included board room black, but with a soft lace overlay, it instantly transitions from work to play. Their classic knitwear was shouldn’t be missed. Striped jumpers and dresses will keep you stylish and cosy as the days (eventually) grow cooler.
Thanks to Hari’s, the models’ hair stylists, we saw curls that would make Cheryl Cole proud, with notable exceptions of a slicked back bun and a pixie cut.
Style director, Sara Jane informed the crowd that customers most requested looks are Gwenyth Paltrow and Sarah Jessica Parker. Though the night’s theme was generally softer than GP’s poker straight locks, Ms. Hull was certainly channelling her inner Carrie Bradshaw.
Seeing the latest season looks on King's Road has me ready to shop in the sunshine this weekend and next.
Jessica Toukatly
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