burberrys garden fete.

Burberry's Spring 2015 collection felt like a S/S 2009 deja vu, when the runway was filled with earthy gardening clothes in dark autumn hues. But ever since Christopher Bailey started to helm the label, he transformed the British house known for their trademark trench coats to a sleek global fashion empire. And so the S/S 2015 was themed "Birds and Bees", a garden-inspired collection that was more flora than earth, lighting up Kensington Gardens with bright punchy hues and whimsical details, while the Hyde Park glass roofs were adorned with a vivid mix of floral and insect prints.

Like a little girl floating around a well-manicured meadow, the models sauntered down the runway in a collection of coats and dresses featuring a more graphic and less painteresque version of last Fall's motifs. True to his "feeling of freedom", the looks were stripped of any complicated heels, and were instead replaced with a hybrid of the shoes du jour : Birkenstocks and the simple white sneaker. Ever since S/S 2013 Celine and S/S 2014 Dior/Chanel made them chic again, they have been scouted on many a runway across the seasons and now, they've made their way as a literal walking rainbow to Burberry. But why not, because the show was all about a uber-chic summer party in the park, and sporty colour-blocking footwear could not fit the bill better.

Delicate sheer gossamer dresses were the main idea this season, many of them tiered, ruched, wing pleated with tulle or even cinched with dainty swatches of fabric, almost like how flowers bunches are tied. Jacket collars were furred to the colour of fresh mimosa and diaphanous pencil skirts abundantly sequined, while drawing on the joys of countryside spring, the clothes were peppered with bug embellishments and iridescent textures.

Trenches have always been like the centrepiece of Burberry's collections, but gasp, this season it actually took a backseat to the denim jacket. The gloss-paneled, ostrich-feathered piece was the outerwear to many looks, and with the dark berry lip gloss, gave a whole new edge to the gorgeous bohemian hues that cascaded down the runway. But Bailey gave the trench its moment, and sent a bevy of suede/linen trenches with high-gloss patent trimmings as its finale, inspired by vintage bookcover nature art and hand screened in the most vibrant shades of red, blue green and pink.

Burberry Spring 2015 was a delightful mix of Britpop attitude and a softer, more feminine take on the countryside. Sure, it wasn't as athletic and graphic like a lot of shows this season, but it definitely wasn't any less powerful, and with the rich array of shades from poppy red to cobalt blue, it's definitely a collection worthy celebrating.

What do you think of Burberry's Spring 2015 collection?

Dior Secret Garden III : Versailles

Dior has always been extremely fond of the Versailles Palace, where it had become the backdrop of many of its commercials, from J'Adore Dior to the magical Secret Garden series. And what's not to love? With it's smooth mural-covered walls and intricate architecture sprinkled with copious amounts of French glamour not to mention the famous well-trimmed gardens that surround the palace, Versailles has captured the hearts of so many around the globe as the epitome of French luxury. For the last two years, Dior has made the Versailles the home to its Secret Garden mini-series, portraying the elusive yet elegant Dior woman wandering around the palace grounds in nothing less than the latest pieces from the house.

This year, we are whisked away once again to the Château in Paris for more Dior fabulosity : the long-awaited third instalment of the Secret Garden campaign, shot again by fashion's famed duo Inez and Vinoodh. Inspired by the Three Graces of Antiquity, muses Daria Strokous, Fei Fei Sun and Katlin Aas embody the young contemporary woman while evoking "three different facets of joyous feminity". Dressed in the rich colours of pre-fall 2014, the models take a tour through the ornate corridors of the Palais swept up in a thrilling rush, dashing through luxurious pathways and weaving through perfectly manicured hedges.

With the palace's many hidden doors and secret shelters, the Versailles gives an air of mystique to this surreal escapade.Set to Depeche Mode's "Strangelove", Daria Strokous saunters down the hallway switching from sensual nude lingerie to modern eveningwear and in true Dior fashion, elegant in a little black dress paired with a Diorissimo bag, all in the time of one second flat. Like a fairytale with a twist, she discovers a secret passage while frolicking through the multicolor successions of doors that leads her to the palace's vast orangerie. The trio of models then meet in the geometric Gardens of Versailles lavishly draped in Raf Simon designed Dior surround a CD branded floral display before closing the door on Versailles.

Everything in the film was what it was meant to be : majestic yet dreamy and impossibly magical. The rich colours and fabrics of the palace and the collection complemented the stunning Versailles set, while the film shows us parts of the Versailles that aren't open to the everyday visitor. And who wouldn't want to be the elegant alluring and utterly luxurious Dior girl?

What do you think of the campaign?

burberrys macaron garden

I have to tell you when I saw Burberry's collection, I heaved a huge sigh of relief. Finally a collection that oozed pure Britishness! If it was in any other fashion week, it wouldn't look like it belonged because the all-British vibe was clearly felt through the clothes. And looking back at the rest of the shows at London Fashion Week, this show was hands-down my favourite. Everything about the collection was utter perfection, from the sexy yet tasteful clothes in a multitude of sherbet hues, to the gorgeous Hyde Park venue combined with the wonderful sunny weather, to the simple fact that supermodels Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn walked in it.

Burberry officially left the hard-edgy-punk style for Spring 2014 in favour of a delicious array of candy colours. From soft rose pink and deep red, tints of mint and light daisy yellow, to lilac and powder blue, pastels ruled the runway and gave the show a much-needed laid-back vibe. True to his "very gentle, very tender" approach to the collection, Christopher Bailey used fabrics such as delicate Nottingham floral lace, soft cashmere, as well as sheer to create covetable pieces ranging from high-waisted pencil skirts to cocktail dresses.The result? Feminine light-as-a-feather looks with just the right dose of sex appeal. The sheer skirts and patterned lace tops were hinting at enough to get people thinking (and talking), and if they weren't understatedly sexy enough, I don't know what is. (As you can see the amount of lace used here is phenomenal, so it's actually quite safe to say Mr. Bailey used miles of it in this collection.)

Lush makeover-ed outerwear was clearly the main attraction of the show. Think voluminous cardigans in a faded pink, comfy cashmere sweaters and body-con suede coats in pale lilac and mint, with hints of shimmer from the bejeweled belts cinched on them. Not even Burberry's signature trench was spared the makeover, turning up on the runway in mint, blue and pink. The coats aptly amped up the silhouettes, giving the airy dresses both shape and definition.

 Later in the show, the collection took a fun, more whimsical turn with the use of graphic polka dots and stripes as well as oval-shaped sunglasses. Global It-girl Cara Delevingne rounded off the stunning collection in a sheer rain coat and a pink floral lace dress.

 Fun, cool, iconic and impossibly British, the collection fully embodied the British spirit and Burberry itself, yet it added a touch of whimsy and femininity at the same time. Ladurée macarons anyone?

What do you think of the Burberry's Spring 2014?

Charlotte