Emilia Wickstead’s Latest is Sophisticated Off-Duty

“British designers have a reputation for making rabble-rousing fashion, but on the flip side of that anarchic coin is a traditionalist, lady-of-the-manor aesthetic. [New Zealander] Emilia Wickstead is well acquainted with this rarefied milieu,” Chioma Nnadi writes for Vogue on the launch of the designer’s Fall 2017 Read-to-Wear collection.

“[Wickstead] started her business designing made-to-measure pieces for London’s high society – Duchess Katherine is still one of her most famous clients – out of her studio in Belgravia, just skipping distance from Buckingham Palace. There are certainly royal airs and graces to her designs, and it makes perfect sense that she was among the first to embrace the Elizabethan- and Tudor-inspired trend that has blown up in the past couple of seasons.

“You could trace the billowy princess-worthy statement sleeves on the runway today, from the easy print-on-floral-print blouses for day right through to the more dramatic velvet evening dresses.

“Wickstead has been broadening her range of late, and her new collection goes beyond cocktail hour to encompass the casual polish of a sophisticated off-duty wardrobe. She introduced jeans to her line this season, and the high-waisted, raw denim pants had a pristine, tailored finish that worked well in the lineup of floor-sweeping gowns.

“Wickstead has been loosening up the demure look of her brand overall, and the use of gauzy cottons and diaphanous silks lent a sense of lightness to the clothes.

“[Her] shimmering sequined silver dress was a standout, and would likely steal the spotlight in just about any room, along with Wickstead’s chic ruby red velvet sandals.”

Original article by Chioma Nnadi, Vogue, February 18, 2017.