1. CHRISTIAN DIOR
Fashion
by Tracey Porter
110 www.uniqueestates.com.au
WOMeN’s
Cinched waists and A-line skirts look set to define us as
the international fashion houses opt for
a shapely silhouette this season.
It was not by chance Tokyo was
selected as the showground of
choice for the release of Christian
Dior’s first ever pre-fall collection.
Raf Simons, the luxury house’s
creative director, has a relationship
history with Japan dating back 20
years when visionary local male
fashionistas were among the first to
embrace the Belgian’s menswear
label back in the 1990s. In addition
the luxury fashion house Simons
works for has several flagships
stores in the country and has often
spoken of its admiration for the
way the Japanese liberally express
themselves through their fashion
choices.
But eager to take inspiration from
the future rather than the past there
was little reference to tradition in any
form with Simons seeking to move
beyond the elegant red carpet gowns
the brand is synonymous with,
instead embracing a more every
day aesthetic for stylish city folk to
immerse themselves in.
Nip-waisted coats constructed from
waxed cotton make an appearance
so too do heavy-duty zippers.
Layering and knitwear are big,
arriving via sequined turtlenecks;
Fair Isle sweater dresses glittering in
yellow, green and silver or courtesy
of knit vests worn with wide-legged
trousers.
Dresses are either short and dressed
in plaid or sleeveless bar dresses
layered with long fur vests, perfect
for the autumnal season.
Stretch platform high boot in green and grey bicloured leather - $2,800
Diorama cuff bracelet in metal with palladium finish, black leather and black lacquer - $1,250
Veiled bonnet adorned with silver sequins - $1,400
www.dior.com
Stockists: 02 9229 4600
Unique Luxur y 111

2. 112 www.uniqueestates.com.au
PRADA
The House of Prada offers modern
contemporaries a lesson in how to
truly sort the sartorial wheat from the
chaff by allowing old school Prada
to make a welcome return to the
runway in the label’s pre-fall season
collection.
Miuccia Prada continues her
fascinating exploration of both the
similarities and differences between
the way men and women dress by
including a number of seemingly
gender-neutral pieces in this
collection.
Save for a few bared backs and
gros-grain bows and ribbons, Prada
presents a somber uniform of pleated
pinafore dresses and utilitarian
coats with just the right amount of
elegance, simplicity and clean lines to
keep everyone honest.
The colour palette consists almost
entirely of black, save for a blue, red
and white tartan coat, some splashes
of grey and neutrals and a beautiful
silver above-the-knee sleeveless
dress. Alongside textured fabrics and
wool, the choice of the iconic Prada
black nylon plays a key role, used
also in eveningwear to add a touch of
modernity to feminine elegance.
Speaking in Milan post collection
launch Prada herself told US Vogue: “I
always think why can’t we have the
same thing for women as for men?
Known and simple things. Really,
that is what I like. Easier to do than
‘fashion’.”
Snakeskin gloves - $1,010
Prada Saffiano Bag - $2,980
Prada clutch in camel - $3,030
www.prada.com
Stockists: 02 9223 1688
Unique Luxur y 113

3. Unique Luxur y 115
LOUIS VUITTON
114 www.uniqueestates.com.au
This may be the first pre-fall
collection womenswear creative
director Nicolas Ghesquière has ever
done for the French fashion house,
but it is a collection almost three
decades in the making.
Having dreamily begun sketching
dress designs in his schools books
at the tender age of 12, the man the
British Fashion Awards named its
International Designer of the Year last
year has been quick to use the 1970s
as a key reference point as part of his
latest offerings.
Continuing the lean silhouette first
evidenced in his previous outings in
Paris and Monaco, this season the
former Balenciaga creative director
offers a more relaxed take on his
vision for the season.
High-waisted cropped pants, two-
button blazers and A-line skirts
are shown alongside cool bomber
jackets (complete with fury collar)
while ribbed turtlenecks are teamed
with colour-blocked dresses or
double denim in a classic nod to the
fashions of the day.
From a fabrication perspective,
texture is key with denim treatments
offered alongside leather piping on
key pieces while plenty of oversize
tweed and corduroy round out the
‘70s theme. The colour palette is easy
on the eye with neutrals interspersed
with splashes of red and electric blue
dominating this season.
Petite Malle Bag (Monogram Canvas and calf leather) - $5,950
Dora PM (calf leather) Bag - $5,250
Charlotte Shoes (calf and patent leather) - $1,620
www.louisvuitton.com
Stockists: 1300 883 880

4. 116 www.uniqueestates.com.au
BURBERRY
Unique Luxur y 117
It would be hard to ignore the issues
of legacy and birthright when you’re
at the helm of a fashion company
valued at almost £8 billion and
about to celebrate its 160th year of
operation.
It’s harder still when your name
is Christopher Bailey and just 12
months ago you reportedly became a
father for the very first time.
Which of course may have
something to do with the fact
those charged with noticing such
things have pointed out that Bailey,
who also acts as the brand’s chief
creative director, has made a
conscious effort in recent times to
create new heirloom pieces.
Quite aside from the status
achieved by the brand’s iconic
trench – whose modern incarnation
first appeared more than 100 years
ago - Bailey’s autumn/winter
2015 collection offers more than
a passing nod to the successes of
the past with high-waisted smocks,
ponchos, capes, English suede
fringing, mirror textiles and mixed
fabrications among its offering.
Titled Patchwork, Pattern and Prints,
the collection boasts all manner of
silhouettes with top coats, tailored
and fitted outerwear and short
A-lined dresses in abundance,
shown to best effect with animal
and camouflage printed lace,
patchwork quilts and house check.
In keeping with this heritage theme,
Bailey employs a quilting technique
named for Durham, near his
birthplace in East Yorkshire.
Key colours in this collection
incorporate indigo, red, burgundy,
teal and ochre.
The Long Fringe Scarf - $1,550
The Bucket Bag in elderberry English suede with tiered fringing - $3,950
The Ponytail Shoe in black suede with fringing - $1,550
www.burberry.com
Stockists: 02 8296 8588

5. Unique Luxur y 119
Miu Miu
The 66-year-old creative genius
behind Miu Miu, Miuccia Prada,
could never be accused of losing
touch with her inner child.
Having created the Miu Miu
brand almost solely as a creative
playground inspired by her own
wardrobe, Prada uses the fashion
house’s first-ever formal pre-fall
collection to bring her playful muse
out to explore – albeit in a ladylike
fashion.
Tweed caplet coats, long wool walk
shorts, shrunken blazers and plaid
camp shirts are the order of the day
and when styled with adventurous
deerstalker caps and Boy Scout
kerchiefs resemble something
straight out of the 1920s.
But of course the designer, who in
2014 was listed as the 75th most
powerful woman in the world, is
only too aware of where her bread
and butter comes from and in
that regard there is plenty to keep
her loyal fans placated with key
retro flower prints and Miu Miu’s
popular short dresses – only this
time reincarnated with contrast
patch pockets - also making timely
appearances. While the hats in
the collection point to the idea
of masculine style, a sexy and
feminine attitude finds its place
through wool silk socks.
Cap with leather trim detail - $620
Mary Jane shoe - $1,140
Crocodile skin boot - $2,700
www.miumiu.com
Stockists: 02 9223 1688