London Fashion Week 2011

Annah Stretton debuts at London Fashion Week

Annah Stretton’s Winter 2011 collection, War of the Roses was handpicked to feature at London Fashion Week's      'A La Mode' show, held as an official off-site event in its fifth season.

Frocks with the majesty of the crown jewels are the treasure-trove of this range. With colours reflecting priceless works of art (rich purples, cobalt blue and striking reds) each piece on its own surpasses the merit of the last. The Queen herself would knight the luxurious fabrics, each used in revolutionary ways.

Tailored to suit the physical complexities of a woman’s body, strong yet elegant blazers provide a shield in a range of luxurious fabrics to truly conquer all fashionistas.
Worthy of a medal of honour, a War of the Roses brooch adds decoration to complete the battledress.

The New Zealand based designer has already made a name for herself in her home country where she has established a staggering 30 retail stores and a fiercely loyal customer base. Actively campaigning against animal cruelty, Annah is a force to be reckoned with. She is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit and was the 2009 New Zealand recipient of the Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman award and has even had her clothing featured during a ‘Go-see’ challenge on an episode of America’s Next Top Model.

While every piece has a distinctive ‘Kiwi’ feel, her elegant and feminine designs are sure to get the girly girls riled up in London.

Annah Stretton

First in the showcase was New Zealand designer Annah Stretton. Having seen her collections shown at New Zealand Fashion Week, we were keen to see how her style would work in the London arena. We caught up with Annah, a virgin attendee at LFW, prior to the showcase to understand the inspiration behind her collection specifically for London Fashion Week, “War of the Roses”.

Q: What drew you to showcasing at LFW?
A:  We have such strong reaction to our clothing from the UK visitors in NZ that I see it simply as a natural progression for the collection to be introduced into this market. We have shown at Australian fashion week for 7 years, a market that is similar to our own, so feel well prepared to take on the UK market.

Q: What are your key trends for A/W 11?
A: As always we will be working with colour and a huge variety of texture. The collection, titled 'War of the Roses', has its themes tied up in the clash of the two English houses. Many of the frocks are totally reversible, the jackets take on a shrunken Eton school boy look. The knitwear is embellished and beautiful.

Q: Your collections are always feminine with a quirky edge, how do you maintain that season after season?
A:  We simply don’t follow trends, the collections are all based around a back story, that we embrace and interpret each season. They will always have very feminine origins and enables us to continue the drama we have become so loved for in our clothes.

Q: What is the key piece a woman should invest in this season?
A:  An Annah Stretton Chameleon frock, one size fits all, fully reversible, machine washable, and can  be worn 10 different ways!

Annah Stretton’s collection was simply divine. Layering of tulle, chiffon and retro cotton fabrics. Using bold colours, pleating and sumptuous fabrics. The colours all worked well together, the softness of the collection came through as well as having bold origins with clashing concepts. The ballerina trend we saw in S/S was still prevalent here with some gorgeous skirts and layered dresses. Throughout the collection the War of the Roses trend was maintained with a giant folded material rose either on the back of a jacket, in the hair, or round a waist tie. Exquisite, glorious and divine. It felt very English and very vibrant in a delicate way.