AMANDA WAKELEY has a certain type of woman in mind when she’s designing – she’s unwavering in her commitment to “the woman” and promoting her power in today’s contemporary wardrobe.
Her look? Well, that was answered in the show notes, telling us she is “strong and independent… a combination of sexy, outdoorsy and athletic”. All of this came to encapsulate a collection that started out in petrol and navy blue dresses that, in sportswear shapes with durable zips slinking down the back, almost managed to pass you by without noticing them as being dresses.
Here was Wakeley’s girl fulfilling her athletic side – while later draped gowns that swung from the shoulders into swooping capes at the back, brought an evening sophistication and that sense of elegance for which Wakeley is known.
Prints ran from yellow and grey sun-streaming-through-branch blurs to red and grey stripes that equally streamed and sailed as they billowed down the catwalk. There were kaftan constructions and cropped leather trouser lengths, bright tomato red stood out and black belts cinched waists to match the bands that were worn around the head. There was a cerulean phase and a crystal phase and more drapes – from short to long, lengths kept on coming – which from Wakeley is pretty much to be expected.
“Everything about her seemed accessible and attainable..” continued the show notes – which is more or less the crux of Wakeley. It might not be ground-breaking but it’s not intimidating and that therein lies the success.
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