Welcome to the Guest Bloggers section on “Collette Costello”, here you will find interesting articles by our guest “On-line Fashion Journalists”.  This article has been writen by specially selected journalist “Fiona Stewart”.  If you love vintage style fashion, dresses, handbags and jewellery. Be sure to pay our on-line shop a visit, today!

New Designers – The Graduates by Fiona Stewart

Spring/Summer 2011 collections are parading through London Fashion Week, but quietly in the back wait the graduates. Plucked straight from their BA’s & MA’s, NEWGEN (sponsored by Topshop) launch them onto catwalks as a perfect platform for their fashion careers. NEWGEN launched in 1993 and has been supported by Topshop since 2001. Together they have brought to the limelight designers such as the late Alexander McQueen, Mathew Williamson and Julien Macdonald. And this year, as ever, didn’t fail to impress.

Central St. Martins Graduate, David Koma, had a wonderful collection of pretty peaches and soft whites that have been femininely sculpted. As well as striking black and white pleats, and the popular leather skirt. The soft curves of his dresses contrasted against statement shoes will undoubtedly transcribe well on the high street.

However, these delicate designs are a stark difference to other winners awarded for their talent at London Fashion Week. A brilliantly bold collection of prints by Mary Katrantzou include dresses patterned with brightly coloured windows, furniture, views and architecture. Even featuring decor style jewellery! Her block coloured peep-toe platforms are a perfect sunny update of everyone’s new favourite shoe-boot.

The camel, beige and coffee-brown palette of autumn has faded, expect bold prints and block colour and pastels with plenty of frills and fringes seeping into your wardrobe.

Scotland born designer, Louise Gray, projected a much more experimental image of this year’s summer. Lots of a personal guilty pleasure – socks and heels, as well as a toga-come-jumpsuit, buttons galore, badges, plastic, head-dresses and a whole host of an eclectic mix of fabrics, shapes and colours. She studied textile design at the Glasgow school of Art, an obvious inspiration for a very creative collection – though not for the fashion faint-hearted. Her work features a Vivienne Westwood style, punk-rock edge that has been prevalent across all spring/summer fashion week collections.

Finally, Peter Pilotto, of International duo Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, round up personal favourites of spring/summer ’11 NEWGEN winners. His collection echoes the delicate, feminine feel of Koma’s designs, with floaty, elegant cuts in white and light cream. But ventures into an eastern feel with floor length gowns wrapped at the waist and shoulders. This collection is the most encompassing, with creative patterns and shapes, elegantly designed dresses and beautifully tailored outfits, ranging from fresh white, to military navy, earthy neutral, right through to jet black.

All in all, with stockists ranging from London to Tokyo, it probably won’t be too long until these talented creative’s designs are mimicked and snapped up in high streets across the country – and it won’t be a moment too soon.