KURT GEIGER
SHOWROOM AW 2014
I visited the Kurt Geiger showroom just after their very creatively presented Press Day for AW 2014. It was an opportunity to see how the brand and the licenses all worked together. It was also a good experience of the showroom and how the brand presents itself to the customer.
Firstly I felt that perhaps the showroom was not ready for customers because all the lines were not there. Then I realised that in fact the brand and showroom were at an impressive moment when its director, Neil Clifford, had accomplished yet another one of his business masterstrokes.
Neil Clifford and other members of the brand's management team have bought the brand! Their target is to present their innovative British footwear to the global marketplace.
Jessica Simpson presents a collection of burnished leathers with touches of exotic animal skins and delicate lace. A collection that reflects the easy, elegant luxury of American women.
A very contemporary translation of classical women's styles.
Vince Camuto presents a very in depth collection with three themes:
- Ladies Who Lunch (Sometimes At Their Desk), with detailing borrowed from menswear tailoring.
- Strategic 3D, presents us with quilted, pleated and ruched detailing alongside metallic trimmings and a stress on topstitching.
- Chef-De-Race, a collection with equestrian details and unexpected material juxtaposition.
A collection designed to suit a confident, stylish and modern woman.
KURT GEIGER
Inspired by Nicholas Roeg's film 'Don't Look Now' (1973), the brand's Creative Director, Rebecca Farrar-Hockley, has put forward a collection that juxtaposes Venice and the English countryside.
Colours and materials counterbalance and mix. Earthy tones and dark reds. Leathers, shearling, lace and suede.
The earth, green and tan tones of the English countryside are contrasted with glittering stars, metallic and stone flashes, which are there to remind us of the shimmering waters of Venetian canals.
Practicality and glamour.
The Men's collection is based on a modern and stylish interpretation of the menswear shoe vocabulary. It ranges from traditional British brogues to flashier, dark leather, Italian 'Mod' Chelsea boots.
The company is at an exciting and revitalised moment in its history. The collections are strong, fashionable and with an elegant and wearable edge.
The showroom visit was a great experience and a good example of how a brand's image can be forwarded through presentation.
Well done! We're looking forward to the future.
