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Review: Lisa Ho at RAFW 2011

I’ve had the privilege of seeing a couple of Lisa Ho’s RAFW shows over the years, The first time I was blown away, the second time was a bit like the second time you see the Cirque de Soleil – unquestionably beautiful but never quite like the first.

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My fear that we’d be seeing yet more luxe maxi-sporting goddesses this year was unfounded. Instead Ho transported us to a beautifully groomed late ‘60s/early ‘70s Dolce Vita, inspired by her love of holidays in Capri.

So: lots of “saturated” colour drawn from those of the island itself: gorgeous bougainvillea pink, wisteria lilac, aqua, wineberry, risotto saffron and gelato chocolate. These were both colour blocked or worked back to signature Ho prints.

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Perfect tailored pieces were worn with softer coordinates, like a sharp shouldered little blazer with softly flared print short shorts- the latter worn with glamorous (and covetable) high heeled sandals.

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Cropped print pants with or without matching jackets; a soft yet pristine white shirt…gowns that know when to stop, mostly either long and plain or shorter and print.

Overall the collection is undeniably womanly rather than young-girlish. If you’re no longer the springiest of spring chickens you’d love to have any piece from this collection in your wardrobe; it will look super sharp and current now but you’ll also be pulling it out again years ahead.

NB: What is colour blocking? Colour blocking is juxtaposing plain colours. It’s not monochromatic dressing. For example: a yellow jacket over a blue dress is colour blocking. A red dress with panels of turquoise and mint is colour blocked.

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Words and photos by Julie Roulston using a Samsung SH1000