Getty is well known for her sculptural collections that delve deep into the art world - every layer, lining, pocket and stitch has been thoughtfully conceived with a specific design philology in mind. If this sounds academic, rest assured, her collections are deceptively uncomplicated to wear, just beautifully made and tailored using techniques that have been developed for each garment type.
For AW18, Getty was inspired by the works of Argentinian artist Analia Saban who uses traditional materials in unexpected ways: Saban drapes slabs of concrete over sawhorses as if they are towels; she moulds white encaustic paint over frames so they look like puffed-up pillows on the wall. Getty's reaction was to manipulate and develop textures and fabrics to create soft fluid silhouettes with subtle design idiosyncrasies. Long black or white silk gowns are tied at the front by chunky satin ropes lending them a Grecian effect; a black midi dress is contoured with bold white stitching for a figure-defining look; long bias-cut gowns with sharp slits come in distressed black or cream velvet and exude elegance with a provocative twist. This houndstooth jacket with ruffles and thick rope cinching is the perfect addition to autumnal trousers, or just wear it with your favourite jeans. Prices from £210, rosettagetty.com & netaporter.com
Ormonde Jayne
Homegrown luxury comes in the form of Ormonde Jayne, a niche British perfume house that specialises in high prestige ingredients. The label's bijoux boutique in London's Royal Arcade, just off Bond Street, is beautifully clad in plush orange furnishings with a central geometric glass counter laden with the elegant gold stoppered bottles.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Ormonde Woman, the house's signature fragrance, uses black hemlock absolute, a spicy and seductive scent that is rarely used in perfumerie. Other delights include Sampaquita, which captures the delicate scent of sambac jasmine, national flower of the Philippines. Champaca is named after a tiny pale orange flower from India, related to the magnolia and incorporated in concentrated, or 'absolute', form to create a warm and exotic eau de parfum. Bryan Ferry is a fan. His favourite scent? Ormonde Man, apparently the first fine fragrance to launch with Oudh as an ingredient in 2004. Light and playful at first, the fragrance becomes gradually more intense thanks to this exotic heart and base notes of vetiver, cedar, musk and sandalwood. As the gentlemanly rocker would surely agree, seduction is a slow game. Fragrance: £90 for 30ml; Ormonde Jayne new candles collection £60 -£150.
Isa Arfen
London-based designer Serafina Sama has long since been an advocate of fun and insouciance in fashion - her designs invariably include ruffles, bows, bare shoulders and clashing prints. But having grown up in Ravenna, Italy, Arfen has a unique way of subverting these values into something infinitely more seductive resulting in collections that are playful and aristocratic rather than quirky or eccentric. Fans include Leandra Medine Cohen, Caroline Issa and Dakota Fanning who was recently spotted in Arfen's new straight cut, high waist jeans, which she introduced to her line this year.
Although she launched Isa Arfen - an acronym of Serafina – in 2011, this year marked the designer’s first London Fashion Week catwalk which shone a spotlight on the versatility and wearability of her designs. Special pieces for AW18 include long skirts fused together with contrasting tartan, skinny velvet track pants, soft gem embellished cable knits and rich velvet bodice dresses with asymmetrical hems and waistlines. Prices from £240 isaarfen.com
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Why more and more adults are reaching for soft toys
Magazine solutions - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
Magazine printables - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
