JOANNE Watkinson
Long to rain over us?
Soggy feet. As my mum would say, there is “nothing worse”. Getting caught in the rain in inappropriate footwear is among my least favourite pastimes.
So when I watched Antony Vaccarello’s Spring/summer 2022 show for Saint Laurent, as stunning as the Paloma Picasso-inspired collection was, I was extremely distracted by the wet runway and giant waterfall structure.
I had so many questions. How did the models not slip? Would the hemlines get sodden? Did the spray from the waterfall get the people in the audience wet and ruin their make-up?
The waterfall was not to illustrate that the clothes were rainproof. It was purely for added drama. The clothes themselves were not designed to withstand a downpour. What clothes are? Certainly not glamorous ones like these.
This week, when the real British autumn reared its head for the first time this year in the form of scattered showers, I felt a little stuck.
Is this it? Will it be quilted jackets only from this day forth until May 2022?
Low temperatures I can deal with, more than deal with, I love layers, the more the merrier.
I’m an expert at buying overcoats – go a size or two bigger to withstand chunky layers without ending up with bunched-up elbows or splitting back seams. But rain is pesky, and almost impossible to stay stylish in.
On wet days I swap my trainers for boots. A chunky rubber sole acts like a mini bridge in puddles.
In the name of research I typed in “galoshes” online. If you’re in the market for a designer ankle-length wellington boot, Bottega does something called a Flatform Puddle Boot, made from biodegradable rubber which retails at £495. If you have money to burn, Gucci offers a nylon waterproof in full GG print for £1,750. Everyone else should head over to the men’s department.
Menswear designers know that the word water-repellent is a selling point and the options are plentiful. Men’s coats look better on women, they have a slightly looser fit and none of those silly drawstring waists.
And for my next trick? Finding an umbrella that doesn’t blow inside out.