Clements Ribeiro break free
When British designers defect to Paris, it is assumed that they have outgrown London and want to take their label on to greater things. Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Clements Ribeiro have all ditched London for Paris. But this season, Clements Ribeiro decided to come back.
Rumoured to be unhappy with a series of poor slots on the Paris schedule, the duo - husband and wife team Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro - were able to command a prime evening slot in London instead.
Famous principally for their pretty cashmere sweaters, they were in rule-breaking mood last night. Several fashion no-noes were on parade: black tights and white shoes, bright red with pale pink, and multifarious clashing patterns and colours. But what should have been jarring was very harmonious in Clements Ribeiro's hands, in one of the strongest collections of the week so far.
The collection was Sixties in flavour, with pinafores, trapezeline dresses and patch-pocket skirts. Single-breasted coats, vented peacoats and belted jackets came with prominent buttons. Bright colours - pillarbox red, vibrant purple and acid green - predominated, but for the conservative customer there was also plenty of beige.
Mindful perhaps of the winter chill, there was barely an inch of flesh on show. Skinny-rib black polo necks were worn under almost everything, and looked best with flippy little dresses in a kaleidoscopic camouflage print.
Mini skirts, so far a theme of London fashion week, were in abundance. But with opaque black tights they looked a far less scary prospect. Nothing slims the leg like a pair of 70 denier.
Not that Elizabeth Jagger need worry. She was happy to show off her considerable pins in black tights and purple knickers. As she turned from the cameras, she was seen to giggle hysterically. Heaven knows what tickled her fancy - perhaps it was the purple pants. Or perhaps it was a private joke shared with mother Jerry Hall, who had turned up to watch her daughter model.
Then again, it might have something to do with reports today that 18-year-old Miss Jagger has ended her two-month relationship with actor Michael Wincott, 26 years her senior.
She is said to have dumped the 44-year-old after concluding he was "too boring" for her and has vowed to stick with men closer to her own age.
"Lizzie realised quite quickly that she didn't have the same interests as Michael," one of the model's friends told the Daily Mail.
Miss Jagger's father Mick, 59, was reportedly delighted.
