Joanna Sykes, you now have my undivided attention! This season was Sykes’ first designing the womenswear collection for Aquascutum and she knocked it right out of the ball park (or cricket pitch I guess you would say in England). Skyes understood she was working with a brand steeped in tradition but also realized sometimes “dated” brands need a bit of a shove to make it in the new world of retail. I have only ever bought one coat from Aquascutum. I left this runway planning my first visit back into the storm for Autumn Winter with a shopping list too long for my Blackberry to keep within one email. I love how orange, the colour of the season, was scattered throughout the collection. It gave a sort of richness and depth to the looks. I also loved the idea of layering a tiny vest on top of an over sized jacket. That is original and damn it, it works. And if I may be so bold as to say that this is a brand that runs parallel with Burberry yet Aquascutum’s garments this season seemed far superior in quality. I’ll wait to confirm after I have a closer look…but this was certainly a show that made me stand up, take notice and long for more!
