Style & Design
Ashley Isham
Originally published on Wednesday, 25th February 2009
Ashley Isham
Ashley Isham is the darling of many a celebrity, thanks to his glamorous goddess gowns and high-octane party frocks. So, accordingly, front row folk at his show included Erin O’Connor, Tess Daly and Jade Parfitt.
The collection was a mixture of 1940s sophisticated elegance and 1980s glitz. The models appeared from behind a shimmering backdrop of silver sequins like Film Noir starlets in tight-fitting pencil skirts and peeptoe shoes.
"One of my favorites of all time is Grace Kelly," explains Isham. "She exuberates this Hollywood glamour. She's so beautiful, but at the same time very poised and confident. And she married a prince!"
Isham is famed for his draping, but this time he deliberately introduced more structure. So alongside the fluid jersey and chiffon pieces, there were also some more graphic dresses and suits.
Stand out looks included a stunning jewel-encrusted bustier and pencil skirt in magenta, pink and gold, which was inspired by a recent trip to Rio Fashion Week. But it was the floor-length evening dresses that really stole the show.
A dramatic black asymmetric gown hugged the body before cascading into a sea of flamenco-style frills in intense violet. Another, in pale gold, featured a sweeping train and came stitched with hundreds of tiny gold and silver flowers.
Isham explained that it takes a team of three people over four weeks to make each big dress because they’re all hand-finished. But the effects are clearly worth it.
Watch out for these designs on a celeb near you soon.
