Only for a friend, would I brave the Kate Moss section in Topshop, Oxford Circus at 12 midday on a Saturday. I had a mission to swoop in there, grab the items I needed in a size 8 and deploy as fast as possible. Indeed, that is what I did in a time of 4 minutes (pretty impressive considering how ramshackle and messy the whole area was). However, something did catch my eye. My mind was thinking ‘Oh dear…do I have to retract my statement about having zero interest in the collection’. Panic Panic Panic. The item in question? A floor length, duck egg blue chiffon dress with a tattoo pattern on the boddice and hem with a midnight blue satin slip underneath. The colour is beautiful, the pattern subtle enough and finally, I saw something that had ‘design’ qualities.
There is a reason for that of course. The dress was one of the limited edition designs, with only 100 in-store costing a whooping ¬£175. ¬£175 for a Topshop dress. I tried it on with zero intention (take note of the word ‘zero’ again…you can see I’m not going to be retracting anything) of buying it. Just as well. It’s not just that the dress did no favours for me. I found the fit bad, and the closures poorly sewn on. Ok, so I don’t quite have the lithe bod to do the dress justice but the sleeves were flapping around strangely, the bias cut was off and the back key hole was also an odd shape. People have been saying that the whole collection is something that only Miss Moss herself could wear with aplomb and though I wouldn’t go so far as to say that brash statement, I do think these are clothes for a certain someone. I’m afraid to say the majority of shoppers I saw buying the stuff was not that certain someone. My bank account will also be pleased to know that I’m not that certain someone either. As I was taking it off the price of ¬£175 and ‘Eh???’ was flashing in my mind.
The quality of almost everything was shameful. The only thing I wanted was a basic vest and even that was cut badly!
From the photographs, it is slightly hard to tell how badly cut the dress is. But that was the problem in the beginning I guess, the fact that the pictures are deceiving. Not to mention that the shoulders completely slump off of your shoulders, ick.
I like Kate Moss’s collection for the most part, I think she has potential. I wouldn’t go out of my way to obtain anything but I mean I see in the future she could really make a name for herself in the designing world.
its a shame because although its too expensive i think it could have been a very nice dress with a few adjustments
…your hair looks great though!
I’m the one responsible for the mission topshop on saturday afternoon size 8 dress, the dress you wear looks nice by the way!!
I’m a bit ashamed to have come up with this mess, but I’m really greatful that you did that for me.
Love
Marjorie
The dress is gorgeous on you…yes, it does need a few adjustments and sure, everything looks good from afar 😉
Thanks for taking us there…Even if it was a “virtual” experience!
that dress is god awful, and not world 175. at all.
nice blog, very thourough.
check mine out
wewillsavetheworld.blogspot.com
i do like that dress though
Hmm… I wouldn’t say that 175 was too much, save that the MADE IN CHINA tag persuades me that neither the ethics, nor the closures behind that dress are quite worth it.
the dress is lovely. shame
You’re too short for the dress, it make you look stubby. I would not pay 175 pounds to have to hem it later. Good thing you skipped.
You’re too short for the dress, it make you look stubby. I would not pay 175 pounds to have to hem it later. Good thing you skipped.
what a depressing frock. 🙁 it’s all wrong, wrong wrong. kate *was* once a truly great model – no question – but she ought not repay her supporters with this kind of bleak cynicism. because fashion needs more cynicism?! i’m glad you didn’t have to make a retraction susie! 😉
The dress is very likely one of her vintage 1930s dresses, given to the Topshop team as ‘inspiration’. It is meant to drop slightly off the shoulders, as is the style of most 30s gowns. If you say it is badly made and ill-fitting, I shall have to take your word for it as I can’t really tell from the photos.
175 quid is frightfully expensive for Topshop though!!
I love this dress and the colour is sublime but it’s really too expensive for me
The colour’s nice, but Ada’s right, it’s making you look short- and that’s not good news, especially considering that you look quite tall in your other pictures (I’m guessing you’re around 5’7″, Susie- not short by ordinary standards at all)
i think it’s a pretty dress, very 1930’s, depression era… but ¬£175? for a dress that’s probably made by small children in a third world country? please. that’s absolutely rediculous.
I have heard similar complaints around the blogosphere about Miss Moss’ collection. What’s up?
Nonetheless, the design is pretty and the colour is gorgeous on you!
love the dress
judging from the first picture, it’d look decent without the sleeves and collar, as a sort of long & elegant dress.
i was surprised to see that a dress that kate moss would put her name on would look so cheap…good call NOT wasting money on it.
That is not duck egg blue – its more of a french navy – duck egg blue is a very pale almost turquoisey blue like Tiffany boxes