Corrie Nielsen wowed London Fashion Week with her Autumn/Winter 2012-13 collection, garnering comparisons to Vivienne Westwood and the late Alexander McQueen. The dramatic, elegant collection, inspired by her Scottish roots, was a pivotal one that established her as serious player at London Fashion Week.
For Spring/Summer 2013, Corrie’s vision is lighter and more ethereal, yet her theatrical and often historical approach remains. The collection is the result of a unique partnership with Royal Botanical Kew Gardens, where Corrie was given unbridled access to the gardens, including the seed libraries, catalogue archives and most impressively, the original documentation from the journeys and discoveries of Charles Darwin.
Corrie said about Kew: “It is one of my most treasured spaces in London and the vast expanses of plant life and flowers will culminate for my strongest season to date.”
Highlights of the Spring/Summer 2013 collection include a beautifully tailored silk skirt suit with cloud-like peplum, an ice white dress with voluminous sleeves, a dip-dye organza blouse and shirt in blush and bluebell, a billowing white and inky grey ombre blouse with slim white trousers, an elegant white princess coat and a sheer organza dress covered in silk palms, with a structured peplum referencing the Kew Gardens Palm House.
The evening gowns are really spectacular – a dusky pink silk with a bubble hem and a white and silver-grey sculptural dress with a flower-shaped skirt and thick panelled bodice.
A particularly striking dress was the black rectangular column dress, standing out among the romantic, floral-inspired pieces.
The collection strikes a balance between wearable and red carpet – I can see Keira Knightley, Kirsten Dunst, Thandie Newton and even the Duchess of Cambridge wearing Corrie Nielsen. Without a doubt, the orders will be flying in for this beautiful, demi-couture collection.
All images by Christopher Dadey
