Autumn/Winter 2010
Customers often tell us that they prefer the autumn/winter season for buying clothes, possibly because there is usually a longer period of predictable weather, and also because many of the fabrics are softer and more tactile. When buying I am always aware of the quality and feel of the fabrics when making my selection, and it is an important factor in my choice of designers.
At Image we have this season the established labels that we are known for, such as MaxMara, Joyce Ridings, Marion Foale, Christopher Fischer, and Crea Concept, plus some that we have introduced recently - Sulu from Germany, Sita Murt from Barcelona and Essentiels from Antwerp, and, new this season, Kaylee Tankus from Italy by a Korean designer.
MaxMara epitomizes the Italian sensual luxury look, probably most notably in it's classic camel coats and elegantly styled jackets. S Maxmara has a lighter note with easy dresses and long cardigans, while Weekend is just that - more casual styling for the weekend, but with the same high quality of manufacture. For this season the colours of Weekend fall into two groups - charcoal, cornflower blue and black, or camel, brown and Ivory, the latter also working beautifully with charcoal; really great knitted dresses, either simple knit, cable or printed, and the immensely popular trousers and treggings (a cross between trousers and leggings, slim but not too clinging).
From Marion Foale - her fabulous hand-knitted jackets, including some longer outdoor weight versions and some great knitted pull-on hats, all in brilliant colours.
Paddy Campbell makes beautiful clothes for special occasions, be it a wedding, formal function or theatre event, her designs work perfectly, as many of you know.
She's So is a label that also fits the bill for special event wear, with beautiful sculpted dresses, some with jackets, that will take you through the day and on to an evening out.
Following on from an incredibly successful summer season Crea Concept has moved into a palette of either black and bright blue, or shades of grey for the superb basic t-shirts, dresses and leggings over which their warmer fluid and flattering knitted pieces can be layered in a variety of ways according to personal choice.
Silk has the bonus of being warm in winter and cool in summer so 120% Lino has worked some of their pretty silk styling into silk or jersey, while Christopher Fischer's soft cashmeres are good in charcoal, mid grey, amethyst and stag (a soft tobacco-ish brown).
Clothes by Joyce Ridings are always easy to wear - being well cut, unfussy and in lovely fabrics.
In larger sizes we have Persona from Marina Rinaldi, and Sulu which we introduced in the summer with great success and which we expect to be as popular this season.
Luxurious sheepskins are the ultimate for winter warmth and highly fashionable this season. Nigel Preston & Knight make some of the very best, so do look out for them at Image.
Look out also for the scarves by Leigh & Luca from America - a great fashion statement that come with instructions for different ways of wearing them.
We will also be stocking (no pun intended) the MaxMara Hosiery collections.
Finally, our newest addition to the Image Autumn Collection is the label Kaylee Tankus from an Italian company with a Korean designer. The designs are very exciting - stylish and sophisticated, almost classical but with and interesting and unusual tweak. We feel sure that this collection will appeal to those who want something a little different. In fact we have increased our order for this season.
I hope that this will give you some idea of what is 'in store' at Image this season, but of course the best thing is to come and see for yourself. We are committed to helping and encouraging you to experiment and to choose what suits you best. Please look on us as your personal design consultants to make clothes shopping an enjoyable experience.
