Mark Fast SS/11

Now this was a show that really took my breathe away. The pieces were absolutely stunning: in design, style and craftsmenship: just unbelievable.

A huge theme that ran throughout this amazingly beautiful show was fringing- and lots of it. Mark Fast is known for his creative technique: I like to think of it as spider-web design for knitwear and there was plenty to be had today at his show. There were many body con dresses, all like I say with his spider-web effect neckline, and many of the dresses had layer after layer of hanging fringing on specific parts of the garment, mainly hanging at the bottom of the dress, so when the model moves she promotes a gorgeous, sashay effect, or at the hips-the fringing kinda reminded me of curtain tassles, but obviously much more glamourous. You realise that Fast designed this collection with panneling in mind with each pannel connected to glorius sheer fabric (I think it was knit but it looked so delicate and see-through that I'm unsure).

Another trend running through the collection was embellishment, which we have seen for SS/11 already in other shows but none to Fast's effect. The pieces looked incredible and so delicate to touch, which juxtaposed really well with the models look. We also saw proportion play again with the layering of fabrics. As for colour, we had everything from dusted rose to tangerine, there was a fab strawberries and cream coloured garment that really did look good enough to eat. Alongside all the sweety goodness, there appeared a couple of Madonna-eque pointed bras, in a shiny, S&M looking fabric.

When the lights went down, I thought the show was over and I began to take in what I just saw, but then the lights shone bright and at the end of the runway there was a model, stood, wearing an unbelieveably intrinsic design. The lights revealed a heavily fringed, pure white sheer dress, fringed at the hips, arms and bottom of the dress: she walked to the flashing camera lights and stood for examination and for us each to take the detail in. This piece looked incredible and the presentating of it was amazing.

Such a great show, Mark Fast is fast becoming my favourite designer of the season.