Wickstead’s summer-of-70s feel elicits love

FASHION FEATURES DIRECTOR EMILIA WICKSTEAD took the potentially seedy concept of “love hotels” and turned them into a desirable wardrobe proposition for her spring/summer 2017 London Fashion Week show.

Wickstead, a favourite designer of the Duchess of Cambridge and Samantha Cameron, was smitten by images of these hotels in South America in the 1970s and brought a rose-coloured romance into the scenario yesterday (literally: she used several shades of pink), imagining them as places young couples from conservative families could “be comfortable together”. Love the euphemism. Wickstead, like her ladylike clientele, is not the kind of woman to be smutty.

Out of this, she presented a youthful and fun collection of floral, polka-dot, chalky orange, forest green and pink dresses, skirts and shirting with a light, summer-of-the-70s feel. Cute circusstyle spots were inspired by Alexander Calder, cut-out circles by the softer side of architect Frank Lloyd-Wright. Gathered ballon sleeves and frilled high necks, sheering details and sprig-printed cotton shirts, with flat basket-weave ballet shoes and slider sandals by Charlotte Olympia added to the butterwouldn’t-melt feeling. So did the clever bands of sweet-coloured Swarovski crystals that ran down the shoulder to emulate a teenager’s backpack.

While the designer has in recent collections stayed with longer lengths, for this one there were both baby-doll lengths and ankle-cropped gowns. And for the first time she showed her own gold jewellery – swinging earrings and clustered necklaces.