Fashion Fantasist: What's that Brown Owl?

Friday, March 4, 2011 at 9:42 PM

It's Kirsty Ward! Back again on this blog with another wonderful collection. An exciting mix of crystals, metals, sheer voils, sportswear fabrics and mohair. It is a really beautiful collection and it is not hard to believe that she is celebrated as on of the up and coming iconic British designers.

Kirsty Ward has continued her exploration of materials and structure by experimenting with texture and layers. Jewellery blends with the garments and creates Kirsty's signature statement looks. The British tradition of Brownies was one of the main inspirations for this collections with their yellow and brown uniforms (which lend to their name) with their badge encrusted sashes. (If you haven't heard of Brownies they are similar to girl guides.... I think? I was never a Brownie. The badges would signify certain skills they had learnt.)

The garments are all about the little special details. On closer inspection will reveal jewellery trapped between layers of fabric, mini hinges act as embellishment and boning inserted at various points adds structure to the most unexpected fabrics. I think this is what makes them so interesting and beautiful.

I am so happy to see how well Kirsty is doing!!! She has been hailed by Vogue.com as One of the Designers to Watch 2011. This season she was selected as a One-to-Watch designer at Vauxhall Fashion Scout catwalk show and I am gutted I didn't get the chance to see the show but it is so lovely to have these photographs from the show. Selfridges’ have also invited Kirsty Ward to take part in the Bright Young Things exhibition and they currently stock exclusive pieces from her collection in the store and online.