Roving Reporter . . . The Fashion Show Week 8

This week the fashion kids had to go back to the greats and create garments designed by the likes of Halston, Dior, Chanel and YSL.
Once the designers got over the fact that some, knew nothing about who Halston was, they got down to business.
Daniella really got the essence of Dior, while Anna didn't quite get Coco Chanel, her efforts were better than some of her counterparts.
On the other hand, this was the first real week where Reco fell flat on his face and boy did he fall hard. He had no idea about Halston and as one of the judges said, made a dress more suited to 'a village wench' than a 'catwalk!'
It came down to a disgraceful piece of suiting by Haven and a horrid dress by Reco and I feel, luckily, due to his track record, Reco survived, though we did see plenty of tears, which humanised the drama queen of the show! I can't wait for next week.
And Haven . . . Bye Bye darling, we are just NOT buying it!

Roving Reporter: Halston

Halston, like its London counterpart Ossie Clark, is another resurrected brand. Last winter saw Halston present stunning maxi gowns in simple, classic and beautiful silks. This season however the vibe was more grungy and though the brand is pre-80s, it decided to utilise a bit of punk.

There was an oversized mohair red jumper, acid-bright shifts and wet-look skinny trousers teamed with the sleekest of boy blazers. Styling consisted of bizarre hairlike clutches and snake-effect scarves. This was by no means Studio 54 - this was far more punk-couture.

Harem pants, which are a huge hit this S/S (why?), are here again at Halston, this time massively oversized and in a gorgeous electric blue. (From an LFW preview of a certain designer friend, I know that Halston are not the only ones to be doing blue harems). This teamed with another androgynous blazer, with a weave of sparkle. Do love that it's paired with a vest top though? Bring out the H&M basics to go with your most voluminous, over-the-top pieces to add a relaxed, just-thrown-together look.

A psychedelic-printed stripe dress took asymmetry into its third season. In line with trendspotting, Halston also displayed the cut-out look with a full-fronted, black jersey draped dress with a slashed-out back.

Finally Halston gave a nod to the embellishment trend with a sparkly disco mini dress. Great for a boogie on the LA party season, but how typically New York this collection is is yet to be seen.

A move away from last season, it seems that Halston is trying to mix current trends with brand identity. It now depends on whether Halston followers love it for its hallmarks or simply buy into the current creative vision.