Maria Grachvogel AW12

Elegance for the cool girl. This is what I always think when I see Maria Grachvogel’s collections. The long flowing gowns, the wide legged trousers, the draping, every piece Red carpet worthy. Yet every piece could also be worn on the streets of London, in a nightclub … wherever you so choose. That to me is the key to her allure, it is echoed in the styling of this seasons collection, chunky platform wedge boots, both ankle and knee high in black, grey and bone. Designed for Grachvogel by Atlanta Weller they are tough. Yet they work seamlessly with the collection, where other designers would have chosen dainty strappy little heels, Grachvogel choose boots perhaps to signify the wearability of her collection as well as to highlight the fact she has never feared away from anything. She went to work in the City to raise capital to set up her own label, she was one of the first to recognise the potential of Victoria Beckham when she had her walk in the February 2000 show. Long before Beckham was taken seriously in the fashion world.

The signature print of the collection was the firework ‘explosion’ print white hot with reds and greens against smoky black. There were touches of a delicate leopard print with shimmering gold lame, mottled green with charcoal gray, jewel colours peridot and garnet, petrol blue. Whilst elegant there was a relaxed feel, reminiscent of the Deco and jazz eras. A time of freedom in dressing and a new found confidence for women. Wonderful statement jewellery designed by Erickson Beamon for Grachvogel complimented the collection. With deco cuffs and earrings, long and collar length tusk necklaces in oxidised silver and gold.

Grachvogel explained to The Wall Street Journal “I don’t know if you saw the chocolate dress with the belt? There’s three different ways of wearing that, depending on whether you wear it with the belt, without the belt, very short, kind of almost tunic-y. So that takes you from the office to an evening dress to, I don’t know, if you are just going out for dinner or clubbing in the evening and want something even bordering on casual. So I think it’s that effortlessness and that ease that really sums up the collection.”

There is something about seeing a collection on the runway that you can never fully appreciate from a photograph or on a store hanger. You see the ‘realness’, you see how each garment hangs on a woman’s frame. You can see how the different fabrics react together when layered. The way a wide trouser leg swishes from the side, the drape of a drop back gown. One thing Grachvogel’s collection sparked in me was a desire to try on these pieces, not just one, but all of them. This is not just from seeing the clothes but also how the designer describes them. The signature Magic pants, called so for their unique cut, with seams running up the back of the leg, are designed with the satin side of the fabric against the skin. I mean just think about that, really imagine how that would feel. So silky and luxurious, teamed with a pair of black leather biker boots, you couldn’t not feel invincible, which is of course Grachvogel’s aim to make all women feel like women.

Click to view full size