It’s a tricky spot to sit in- half-way between the fast fashions of the high-street, and the luxury of the ready-to-wear realm – and Whistles seems to be one of the few labels to have earned itself a permanent place in this coveted middle ground.
Over the past few seasons, London’s beloved high-end high-street label has climbed the ranks to sit amongst our roster of cool, contemporary luxury brands and the design team, led by Jane Shepherdson, are becoming more accomplished with every season.
Loyal devotees to the brand will be relieved to hear that the SS15 show presented little deviation from that effortless, slouchy aesthetic which sparked the meteoric rise of the brand. This season, however, a focus on practicality was heightened, (as if the work-commute connotations weren’t clear enough, the collection was presented in the centre of Kings Cross station.)
The collection presented luxe, minimal re-workings of next summer’s high-street hits. Jumpsuits look set to continue strongly into the new season, as do AW14’s wide-legged culottes, laser-cut leather pieces and the ubiquitous pool slider. A monochrome colour palette was lifted with soft pastel hues, whilst a palm-tree print by artist Joe Cruz broke up the colour-blocking in places. The most appealing pieces were often the most simplistic- a pure white one-shouldered top teamed with languid trousers arrived with need-it-now impact. Accessories hinted at resort vibes, with raffia frays, striped leather and cork-heeled sliders re-working classic vacation markers into something undeniably chic.
Illustrating the growing confidence of the Whistles design team, this collection came with a more developed sense of global appeal, with the nonchalant-chic aesthetic bound to grab New York’s attention.
The trickiest part of sitting in-between the high-street and the high-end is knowing how to tow the line between fads and investments. Inevitably, some pieces here will fall victim to the whims of fast-fashion, but the price points, thankfully, accommodate for a little frivolity.
But the true appeal of the Whistles brand lies in the pieces which transcend the seasons – beautifully-crafted clothes which work for the wearer, with practicality – not fashion flightiness- at their heart. Suddenly, our daily commute seems a chic proposition.
by Roberta Lister
Images courtesy of Style.com