Temperley’s Hitchcock heroine inspires demure darkness

London Fashion Week, day 3 London – Caroline Kent Alice Temperley's innate elegance shone through once again today, as her Autumn/Winter 2013 collection took centre stage at London Fashion Week. The show opened with a silk putty-grey dress with overlaid tartan grid pattern, it was a sign of the demure femininity to come. Alice explained to press: "The Temperley woman is an alpha female with a balance of savviness and vulnerability. She is luxuriously chic and ultra feminine."
The designer took inspiration from a 1960’s Hitchcock heroine for the day-wear portion of this collection, something easily spotted in a white swing coat, pristine cashmere pieces and stiff British wool. Textured, rich, structured tailoring appeared in Italian Jacquards, (also seen in iridescent fabric at Mary Katrantzou, so don't dispose of last seasons’ yet). Then came an Art Deco style drop-waist dress. We've seen plenty from the twenties so far this fashion week, so why was it noteworthy? Normally, Art Deco is too alluring for daylight hours, belonging instead to the pages of a decadent Gatsby novel, rather than an office wardrobe, surely? But Temperley's exploration of a darker femininity lent sophistication to the collection, which allowed the designer to pull it off with aplomb.
Evening-wear was peppered with Art Deco embellishment explosions, and an ancient Egyptian influence seen in the beading. Peter Pan collars were typical of the demure neck and hemlines employed to retain a restrained refinement.