Hurrah! I finally have gotten hold of clear images that won’t give migraines trying to pick out the details. Yes, call me a Topshop flocker. Yes, call me a high street sheep. But as Hadley Freeman puts it in her new book (an extensive review later…) about label representation for each city ‘Marc Jacobs for New York, Topshop for London, Prada for Milan and Chanel for Paris’, I, amongst others flock for a reason. Reason being the fabbiness of the range of designers that they are funding/supporting/collaborating with and also because the results of these collaborations are actually rather good. (I’m so reclaiming the word ‘good’ because when I say it, I really mean it…). So to the clear images we go, and to Topshop.com and a few selected Topshop stores we head over the next following weeks.
The first drop lands on 22nd January and consists of some seriously cleverly colouful offerings from Louise Goldin and Jonathan Saunders. Saunders has reproduced a retrospective of his prints in a taunting array of colours. I especially love the geometric patterned dress which I hope to wear in a very bare/unembellished way, letting the print do all the talking. If the Jonathan Saunders for Target rumours are true, then I very much hope he produces something of the same ilk as these pieces. No individual prices as such so a price bracket will have to suffice… ¬£65-¬£85
I’m impressed that Louise Goldin has designed her Topshop collection so closely related to her SS08 collection using Intarsia knit with that familiar palette of juicy Starburst colours. ¬£85-¬£95
Then the mega mega drop happens a week before London Fashion Week on the 5th Feb. Incidentally, I will be in New York at the time so on the night of the 4th (East Coast time…), I’ll have to distract myself with noctural activities to stay up in time before it hits the Topshop website. The time difference is likely to cause my brain to malfunction and then burn out so I’ll be setting off all sorts of bizarre alarms on my phone and using hotel gadgetry to help me out.
Not a slew of images available yet but here’s another Christopher Kane dress that echoes the corset detailing of the pieces I posted about on Sunday. The Scarlett O’Hara and Rambo as inspirations of the AW07-8 mainline collection are used here which explains a few things. I’m still set on the grey dress though…. ¬£65-¬£250
Marios Schwab is THE Topshop collection I was waiting for me and he hasn’t disappointed as the key word here is ‘statement’. The off the shoulder black zip-up cotton dress coat is the only image I have but I’m having fantastic visions of the geometric printed dress with elastic straps and a hexagonal quilted high-shine jacket that means my money is on them for sure. ¬£65-¬£100 (thankfully sub ¬£100…yay!)
I didn’t realise Husam El Odeh who has collaborated with Marios Schwab on accessories on the catwalk, would also be doing some stuff for Topshop. Good thing too as I’ve always wanted to wear a cigarette box on a necklace. Does it matter that I don’t smoke? Lots of silver plate which I’m guessing means I’ll have to loosen up the purse strings because I’m bewitched and fixated by a silver plated cigarette case hanging around my neck.
Me thinks Richard Nicoll fans will be loving this cleanly feminine collection that is inspired by make-up shades of nudes and slates. I think the pieces lack the oomph for me but I can see them as being ever so useful. £50-£95
Todd Lynn’s offerings are also functional in the form of a black tux jacket with cut-off tails but alas, I’m sans image. I imagine this is one of those jackets that would be a throw-on-and-go type garment. ¬£55-¬£95
So yes, you’ll probably roll your eyes at my dedication to these capsule collections but like I said, I do so very much like to torture myself with in-store and online drop dates and the like.
I like the Marios Schwab dress coat and that grey top (or is it a dress? I can’t tell the length…). Wow, Susie, you’ve achieved the impossible – finding Topshop items that I actually like!
i am curious what the cigarette case around your neck will look like. you will post pictures if you get it, won’t you?
i like that grey top/dress (?) that Lady Julianne le Fay liked too.
thank god for student loans! i may have to camp outside topshop, my favourites are the el odeh accessories
when is the launch date for the schwab collection susie?
oh god, i’ve gotton all excited at this post and im getting glares from fellow co-workers, damn you!
Alyson: The Christopher Kane, Marios Schwab, Richard Nicoll and Todd Lynn starts selling all on the 5th Feb. Sorry about the glares…
Lady Julianne: That R Nicoll grey thing is a shirt/top, not a dress. It’s all down to the designers me thinks that is making you bear some love towards Topshop me thinks…
Cate: Of course, of course! ; )
Selina: The El Odeh stuff comes closely behind the Schwab stuff for me….
Oh my God I *want* that Marios Schwab dress. However beign poor i shall prob ahve to try to make one lol
Um, one of everything please?
Everything looks good…but how does it feel/fit? That’s always the question….
Jonathan Saunders t-shirt dresses are cool
i love the bold colours
Oh man, I need some Jonathan Saunders and Louise Goldin in my wardrobe! My only hope is that Opening Ceremony will carry some of those pieces here. So in love!
ooohhh…very interesting statement by hadley freeman..susie..which book were you referring to? thanks!
susie, darling, I too am a dedicated (but NOT annoying and moany) non-smoker, and I already own two of those 2001 yves saint laurent rive gauche cigarette cases. and will evidently be adding a husam case to the collection.
the husam stuff looks really really great, the screw detail (yeah I’m a fetishist) is identical to the stuff on marios’ dresses.
and the cut for the coatdress is the same as the skater-skirt puffa we did for fall. which retailed at about ¬£1,200. god bless topshop. anything I can shoehorn my manorexic figure into without looking like a prick I will be buying. but where to wear now we’re post-boombox?!
love,
Alex.
*sharp intake of breath*
That Christopher Kane dress. Ohmygoodness – Marios Schwab….
*quietly sobs due to being 6 months pregnant and currently shaped like a weeble*
oh wow… these are lovely…
Ana: The book is called The Meaning of Sunglasses and is not out until 7th Feb but I’m reviewing it at the mo…will post later in the week!
Alex: Yeah, I saw the shape was very similar hence why I love it as I coveted that puffa dress so badly it hurt my brains. Shoehorn away I say…. that teensy tiny waist (I imagine?) of your’s needs to be shown off….
To be fair, it was getting to be a bit Blahbox towards the end but I hear ppl are talking up Circus….
Row: And a very beauty weeble I imagine! I would buy the dress for post-pregnancy days though!
Wow – i love the Christopher Kane dress. Thanks for all this info -defintely something to look forward to
I’m loving the Goldin and Saunders pieces…and that cigarette case necklace? I do hope Topshop steps on those plans to expand to the Far East and India (*crosses fingers and hopes that wasn’t just a rumour*)..
i want the headband!!!
Love it! Check out artfulwears.com for some great budget saving alternatives. They have really cute sutff to help you create the look you want!
I want that Christopher Kane dress more than life… I’ll probably end up selling a kidney for it though…
I was just looking at some Forever 21 tees, and I think they ripped off one of those first dresses. Can’t imagine F21 doing such a thing. :/
I want that corset dress and grey ruffle top so much that it’s painful.
Suzie,
Im a long time reader 2nd time commenter. I recall a little while back, you mentioned that youd be willing to ship Top Shop things out to the states. I am loving the more geometric Jonathan Saunders dress and I don’t know if they’ll have it for sale online as it is a special line. Please let me know if your offer still stands. If not, I understand. Thanks!