London Fashion Week Fall 2007: Preen

Click photo above for full gallery

Hot pink, grey, camel and plum were Preen’s colour choices this season. Loosely tailored and fitted Islamic-like hoods added another level to preens systematic simplicity. Halter-neck mini dresses, coats with matching skirts and dresses in identical fabrics were also matched with sheer stockings. Typically, I am not a fan of what Heidi Klum on Project Runway dubbed: matchy, matchy. You know, red socks with a red sweater and red jeans…A childhood equipped with such, has made me resist it. However, Preen’s usage of texture, shape and minimalism was an appropriate platform for this execution.

This season Preen played with pleats (can you say that five times?) as well as creatively folding and manipulating fabric creating unique shapes for the body. Model Coco Rocha walked out in a whirlwind of horizontally pleated fabric folded into a halter dress. This looked divine, when paired with her always-frank expression. Then there were also the 80’s references (surprise, surprise) most often seen in the dresses and coats with wide shoulder pads (can we say Claude Montana?)

The biggest problem with this show was editing. There were nearly forty pieces in all and this easily could’ve been cut to half. Although I love Preen for their true blue sense of simplicity and attention to detail, one can only look so long at the same shapes and ideas. Needless to say the variations on their theme weren’t that… what’s the word I’m looking for? Varied.

MARQUITA HARRIS