Two of Alice Temperley’s enduring inspirations are Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and she channeled the spirit of both into a collection filled with tailoring, and a lineup of sparkly, draped dresses with cinematic flourish.
Temperley wears her passions on her sleeve. During a walk-through of the new collection at her Sloane Street store, she was dressed in a burgundy velvet version of her best-selling Clove suit, a three-piece style with a dandyish edge.
It was a nod to Astaire, and to her unwavering belief that “tailoring for day is cool as hell.” Some members of her staff were also dressed in the versatile suit which comes in a variety of fabrics and can be worn with or without a blouse. Temperley opted for the latter, giving the suit a glam rock feel.
The collection was filled with those suits, but also had lots of Rogers energy, too, with fluid, embellished or draped dresses for evening, and a jungle’s worth of leopard print for long patterned coats, short furry jackets and flirty dresses with deep v-necks.
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Temperley is known for her embroidery and beading, and worked both into her evening wear, showing dresses and skirts with gold and black Art Deco flourishes. Some were short, others were long, but they were all made for a grand entrance.
Unembellished silk gowns had their own brand of Greek goddess allure. They came as long columns with draping across the shoulders, or in velvet with delicate sleeves shaped like orchid petals, ideal for fluttering across the stage.