NEXT Autumn/Winter 2010 Press Day

NEXT WOMENSWEAR
AUTUMN-WINTER 2010

HIGH, FLYING, ADORED . . .

Amy Johnson’s aviator jacket . . . trenches worn by heroes of the Resistance: NEXT’s autumn-winter collection abounds in references to iconic women and their gender-defying style signatures. For, putting its finger firmly once more on the ideal of power dressing, fashion plunders men’s wardobes to bring a tougher edge to everything that’s pretty.

Our BOYISH CHARM story is certainly a boy-meets-girl thing, mixing elements of masculine tailoring with ultra-feminine frilled chiffon blouses, soft pleat skirts, and floaty dresses. LA RESISTANCE also steals from the guys. Think, of course, about a strong-shouldered trenchcoat . . . or follow in the jack-booted footsteps of our most fabled air pioneer, and combine an aviator jacket with jodphurs. Structured leggings or aviator jeans in dark denim (plus knit and jersey pieces in bold 1920s Constructivist motifs) add special interest to the mix.

MILITARY AVIATOR takes some of these reference points one stage further – reworking army greatcoats, parkas, bombers and flying jackets with fragile khaki lace and mesh dresses. This is another fashion story that’s tough on the outside yet ultra-feminine at heart.

By startlingly elegant contrast, NEXT’s elegant, refined LA BOURGEOUSIE story remembers French chic of the early sixties. It’s as if the divine Deneuve was still only 23 . . . and still wearing those neat little A-line coats and short, chic ultra-feminine dresses. Utterly adorable!

A tougher love is the idea behind our PRETTY SAVAGE story, in which raw fur-effects are juxtaposed with textural knits and lace – all in soft, dusky pink-beige shades. And there’s something loveable, too, about the patchwork, crochet and other handcraft-effects seen throughout our HARVEST theme. In washed corduroy and marly tweed, and shades of moss green and earthy brown pepped up with corn yellow and russet red (all so clearly inspired by an autumn landscape), this provides the fashion equivalent of a romantic escape to the country.

Maybe you want to play lady of the manor? YOUNG
SQUIRES captures the sexy, uber-confident swagger of a new generation of landed gentry, whose fond appreciation of heritage and tradition is tempered by a rock’n’roll edge. This means wearing quilt jackets, jewel-embellished tweeds, and arran or argyle-motif knits with denim and bold statement t-shirts.

But, for some rock legends, it’s all about the performance. ROCK BAROQUE provides the season’s glamorous headline-grabbing climax to NEXT’s world tour of fashion. Think Prince. Think Jagger. And imagine a dressing-up box filled with antique brocades and gold-figured velvets. Inside, you’ll discover dandy frock-coats and biker-jeans or drainpipes. You might even find some short super-sexy dresses in lame or gilded lace. As you’ve probably worked out by now, fashion-life at NEXT is full of surprises.