November 2013 – Food | Fashion

A few months ago, I attended a couple of exhibitions for trend research at my old job at MPDClick so thought I’d also share my findings on FFS!

One of my favourite museums in London, the V&A, earlier this year played host to an exclusive collection of royal gifts that were exchanged between Tudor England and the Russian Tsars in the exhibition ‘Treasures of the Royal Courts: Tudors, Stewarts and the Russian Tsars’. I attended the exhibition to gain inspiration for one of our future Spring Summer 15 trends which celebrates the re-birth of luxury and new perceptions of royalty.

A wealth of inspiration is on offer at this exhibition that can be directly applied to the fashion and design industries for future ranges. One of the first pieces on show was the towering armour of King Henry V111, exaggerated in size or not, the scale of this suit of armour was impressive to say the least. The heraldic engraved trim motifs could be translated as a border print on apparel, footwear and accessory designs.

The range of jewellery on show was truly awe-inspiring, with magnifying glasses on hand to enable closer inspection of the sheer detail and craftsmanship of each piece. Cameo pendants, both classic and coloured were abundant as were miniature portrait pendants which can reinterpreted using contemporary famous faces for Spring Summer 15 in trend-led colourways. Emeralds and rubys stood out as the preferred jewels of choice while pearl clusters and drops, serve as essential embellishment for jewellery, apparel, accessory and footwear design. Commemorative coins on display also provide inspiration for jewellery ranges; elements of which can be included in costume drop earrings or pendants for the season.

Key motifs to consider for graphic and print include the Royal Arms, Three Lions, Crests and the Tudor Rose. The Pheonix (symbolising rebirth and chastity) and the Pelican (representing self sacrifice) are particularly important birds of the time in reference to Queen Elizabeth 1, as seen in the famous ‘Pheonix’ and ‘Pelican’ portraits of the Queen, holding them each as decorative pendants. Star, sun and moon motifs in metals on jewellery also proved popular of the time, offering graphic, print and decorative inspiration.

For womenswear, off-the-shoulder sweetheart necklines prevailed as a progressive update from SS14. We can also see long gloves in lightweight fabrications being key to occasion wear and red carpet fashions. For menswear, armour and sash inspired asymmetric lines stood out as key shape definitions and placement print inspiration.

Although this exhibition has now finished, I expect the current ‘Pearls’ exhibition at the V&A to be just as inspirational, in keeping with this royal trend. Has anyone visited ‘Pearls’ yet? Would love to hear what you thought!