It’s interesting how societal changes can lead a designer to venture out into new territories. These days, most of the women buying high fashion would want pieces they can wear for both business and pleasure. With Emilia Wickstead, she was more into dressing her clients almost exclusively for the latter, but not anymore. This New Zealand-born designer, whose array of beautiful dresses have been worn by celebrities and royals alike, surprised the fashion world by presenting work-ready clothes in her Spring 2019 show in London Fashion Week. She opened with a pantsuit parade complete with strict tailoring and strong shoulders, all in a powerfully chic neutral-toned palette. Even the dresses in-between them looked far from tea time but rather screamed “business meeting” instead. Color came in a shimmering pink pleather coat, exemplifying Wickstead’s usual brand of femininity, but was still work-ready nonetheless. As the silhouettes became softer and more billowy, the show was right back into the dainty and girly territory that rose Wickstead to British fashion prominence. Still, the 80s-style power-dressing was an utter yet pleasant surprise. And most likely several women might prefer that than the society cocktail-wear she usually trots out.
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Photo: Yannis Vlamos / Indigital.tv