If a cursory glance through the minimal trends for Spring and Summer left you thinking that dazzle had been left on the sidelines this season, think again.

While all-out glitz has been temporarily shelved (even on the red carpet), the new way to wear sparkle is through pieces that hint at craftsmanship and heritage. Detail and finish take their lead from haute couture, not mass production. Shades of bronze and pewter take precedence over silver and gold: think ‘old-gold’ rather than ‘shiny penny’.

This wow-factor dress from Miu Miu is a brilliant example of how the new approach works. The layers and layers of sequins make for a cool, edgy finish that’s smart, not showgirl.  The column dress is nothing new for evening, but the avant-garde detailing makes this a head-turner for all the right reasons.

Many classics for S/S 2010 have been revisited this season: military, tribal and even minimal chic. Each one has had a major overhaul, but sparkle, out of all of these, required the most extensive top-to-toe makeover of all. Tarnished by associations with D-list celebrities going for broke on the red carpet, dazzle done well is beautiful. Applied with no concept of when to hold back, it’s a disaster.

This is why the makeover was needed and why it has worked so well.  The remodelling of glitz and glamour has been from the ground up: you couldn’t imagine this Oscar de la Renta frock making an appearance at the Soap Awards, but it looked pitch-perfect worn by Kristen Stewart at a ‘New Moon’ premiere last year.

Taking elements of the unexpected (Lanvin’s jewel-encrusted jumpsuits; Prada’s cobweb vests and Burberry’s bedazzled coats), the new bling is challenging us to pause, look again and re-evaluate. Nothing here is obvious or on the nose. From Dior to Richard Nicoll, old and new perspectives alike have struck gold with their interpretation of what it means right now to dazzle.

Far from being harsh and over-bearing, the softness of the colour palette being used across the board means that designers can go to newer, bolder silhouettes and no-one bats an eye. The Balmain mini-dress, while certainly challenging for the waist-line, is a perfectly plausible look for Xmas. If done in silver-white, it would be a different story.

The good news is that this look works on every budget. As much as you may covet the Lanvin jumpsuit, not everyone can lay down that sort of coin. But the new dazzle is absolutely achievable; it’s just a case of knowing how to put it together.

When accessorising your mini-dress that pays homage to Balmain, or a jewelled jacket, think laterally. Burberry teamed their mega-watt crystal coat with nude ankle boots. French designer Isabel Marant paired her bronze mini-dresses with suede, fringed Navajo boots.

Footwear is a brilliant way of underplaying glitz. Nude tones also work well with smaller glitzy pieces for day. The trick is for every element of sparkle, anchor it with two quieter pieces, whether that’s an accessory or part of the outfit. This trend has legs too: the pewter and bronze pieces will work brilliantly with the bevy of camel and toffee colours beginning to emerge for autumn. Take the Chloe catwalk as your inspiration: leg-lengthening trousers with a jewelled shell top tucked under a camel coat. It’s smart, flattering and almost unbearably chic. Prepare for this autumn to be your best-dressed ever.

Dazzle and sparkle used to have quite a mean-girl reputation: they translated as ‘look at me’, or even worse, ‘I can afford this – and it’s the real deal!’ It’s not surprising many designers in this frugal age have opted for subdued, less showy looks on the runway. If we’re meant to be moving towards a mood of austerity (and in it together), then wearing your entire bank account on your sleeve doesn’t exactly make you part of the zeitgeist.

This makeover is more than skin-deep: it goes right down to the very soul of the trend. Dazzle now celebrates the very things it opposed: artistry, longevity and uniqueness. It’s a look that not only signposts personality, but encourages you to express yours. This trend’s rarest gem is that it works for all kinds of women. If you want to go all-out sexy like the William Tempest asymmetric mini or quirky-cool like Giles’ skin-tight silver suit, every possible combination works.

This is a sub-trend that you will see emerging this winter too. Gone are the days of one trend fits all. Regardless of your personality, being on-trend used to mean donning a particular heel height or a shade of blue, whether it suited you or not.

What the recession has done for the fashion industry is loosened the rules, by necessity rather than design. Trends are becoming flexible, so they can fit you, not the other way around.

It’s all about the wider movement to create fashion that’s wear-now, love-forever. The days of disposable fashion seem increasingly distant and foreign to the way we live now. A trend’s currency is not only its wearability, but its worth. Making that personal, meaningful connection is rapidly becoming the intelligent way to buy clothes. Buy into the new dazzle and it’ll be the best purchase you’ll make all year. Pick your pieces carefully, and they will, just like the finest jewels, appreciate with value.

HELEN TOPE

Print has had an image overhaul this season. Normally a footnote to the flashier trends, this Spring, print is the story everyone wants to read about.

The biggest headline for prints this season will be the part it plays in the digital revolution. Fashion has fully embraced technology – shows are downloaded onto YouTube and commentaries instantly uploaded onto Twitter – and at the coal-face of the industry, it’s full steam ahead.

Two years ago fashion duo Basso & Burke pioneered the use of computer-manipulated colour and pattern and it revolutionised the way fashion saw the possibilities of print. Sidelining mechanical screen printing, pixels and inkjets could now transform print into a symphony of spiral, dream-like forms. Digitally altered to make them almost unrecognisable from the original source material, these prints verge on the Dali-esque in their re-interpretation.

Many new designers including Mary Katrantzou are leading the way by using technology to create fashion that is truly innovative. Mary’s dizzyingly beautiful space-age prints are proof that futuristic fashion doesn’t have to mean unfeminine. Her play on uber-femme ruffles is made ultra-modern by her use of computer-generated print. The gorgeous spirals enhance the cut of the fabric, making the print part and parcel of the design.

This is the first generation that is just as comfortable using an Apple Mac as part of the creative process as a pen and pad. Technology isn’t there to just help with the fiddly bits of fashion design – it’s there from the very start and this development is nothing short of inspirational.

Although established, Alexander McQueen wasn’t afraid to embrace this technological development, as his whole design philosophy was about exploring brave new ideas. His collection of reptile prints stood out from the crowd, but it wasn’t done just for effect. McQueen’s use of skins on skin merged space-age design with his radical ideas about femininity. What turned out to be his last collection before his untimely death in February was boundary pushing but beguiling as always – exactly what McQueen did best.

The clever use of technology by designers like McQueen and Peter Pilotto pinpoint how technology can be harnessed with intelligence to create new vital design. In an industry where it’s been said that everything worth doing has already been done, this incorporation of new technique will undoubtedly open doors.

The restraint shown in these new designs also highlights that the part of a designer’s sensibility that remains indispensable regardless of technological innovation is the ability to edit. It doesn’t matter how brilliant a print is, or how it’s made – the key component to a good print is the ability to step back and assess – and there’s no computer software for that.

But space-age isn’t the only way prints have been making a splash in the collections. The more traditional prints have also been attracting the right sort of attention.

Floral prints have always been a feature of Spring / Summer fashion, but it’s up to designers to keep us interested and ready to buy. Usually seen as the sugar-sweet option for Spring, florals in 2010 have had a massive injection of attitude.

An antidote to this season’s pastels and nudes, if you’re in the mood for an energy kick of vibrant colour, designers like Stella McCartney and Diane von Furstenberg have got you covered.

Erdem’s celebrated collection of florals offers a gorgeous bouquet of ready-to-wear dresses. Prepare to see this look copied –and copied brilliantly – on the high street this summer. Easy to wear, this look is a no-brainer for those worried about wearing print. Throw it on, pair with some tan wedges or heels-with-attitude, and you’re done.

Fashion’s always been good at offering up options, and the sheer range of prints available this season is astounding. From the comforting girlishness of Erdem to the pioneering strobe effects of Peter Pilotto’s collection, there’s something here for every taste.

But, as always, there has to be some sort of consensus binding the trend together. This year fashion is about shortening those hemlines, and print is one of those trends that definitely respond to that. The best way to wear these prints is in short, sharp bursts. On the runway, almost without exception, they worked best on mini-dresses or shifts cut just above the knee.

It’s a misnomer that fashion has become tougher, with difficult, editorial shapes and hard-to-wear hem lengths. While there are some trends trickier to wear than others, the translatable looks are definitely out there – you just have to find the one for you, and print offers a multitude of choice. If one doesn’t inspire you, chances are another will. Whether you want to go retro like Versace’s 60’s-style shifts, girlishly-classic in Erdem or push the fashion frontiers with the bravest of fashion’s new talents, whatever look you decide to work there’s a print out there for you this season.

HELEN TOPE

The Background

Born 1^st September 1971, Rachel Zoe is probably the best known fashion stylist in the world.

She studied at George Washington University, majoring in sociology and psychology and after graduation in 1993 moved into stylist work for magazines including Gotham and YM.

Rachel eventually went freelance, and her list of past and present clients includes Anne Hathaway, Cameron Diaz, Eva Mendes, Nicole Richie, Jennifer Garner, Keira Knightley, Demi Moore and Mischa Barton. She is one of the most sought-after stylists for both red carpet events and editorial shoots, managing to clock up serious air miles between New York and Los Angeles in the process.

Zoe became a tabloid sensation when she began to dress Nicole Richie, and in 2008 Rachel got her own reality show, ‘The Rachel Zoe Project’, which takes a behind-the-scenes look at the daily rigours and delights of fashion styling for the A-list.

The Look

Think of Rachel Zoe and an image quickly comes to mind: statement bag, big sunglasses and even bigger hair. Zoe is unusual because she has built a reputation not just on her ability to fit someone out for the Oscars, but on her ability to influence fashion itself.

Zoe’s first flush of fame came in 2006 when she began to dress the mainstays of young Hollywood, Nicole Richie and Mischa Barton.

Ditching her youthful street style, paparazzi favourite Nicole Richie began to be photographed in flowing maxi-dresses and bug-eye sunglasses. An extreme departure from the style of her early twenties, the sophisticated vintage look borrowed straight from 70’s Halston, and took inspiration from Zoe’s own closet. The new look was an instant hit.

Fashion up until then had been concerned with only one mantra: make it short, and make it tight. Hipster jeans were the favoured way to wear denim, exposing belly chains (remember them?) and frantically-toned flesh.

But with the onslaught of the more relaxed Zoe silhouette, loose and billowing shapes began to appear on the catwalks. Before long, oversized had become a bona fide trend and it had one major advantage over the belly chains: with a few tweaks here and there, it looked good on everyone. This was fashion democracy at its best – if you wanted the full Zoe effect, you wore a maxi-gown with headscarf and Jackie O sunglasses. If you wanted just a taste, an oversized tunic dress or a pair of glamorous shades was enough to make the connection.

The success of the Zoe look was due to its ability to translate across age, size and shape. Zoe’s pioneering of oversized fashion catapulted her onto the A-list. Rachel’s own love for fashion got her snapped as much as her clients. Her look got even more coverage and magazines were running features on how to dress like Rachel. The stylist is traditionally seen and not heard, and Zoe was rewriting all the rules.

Her sharply-defined point of view was profiled and analysed by the fashion press. Her love of Seventies fashion revived the lost art of vintage shopping: hunting bargains in your local high-street is fun, but the lure of vintage was simple: you could end up finding a piece that no-one else had. Fashion as lost treasure – what’s not to love?

Turning fashion on its axis from disposable to keep-for-life, Zoe turned us onto the possibility of finding unique keeper pieces. She has proved to be ahead of her time: the tide in high-street fashion is turning towards individuality and craftsmanship, rather than slavishly-copied trends. It’s a new way of wearing clothes, but better yet, it’s a new way of thinking about them too.

Rachel’s embrace of fashion is anchored in a genuine respect for how it is created, from sketch to stitch. Rachel has done sterling work in tuning people into the idea of creating their own style, to be their own stylist, and make a style blueprint from scratch.

Rachel Zoe is not just a stylist – she’s a force for fashion good. Playing on her love of accessories, Rachel is now collaborating with shopping channel QVC, launching her own line of finishing touches. It’s the natural progression for a woman who thinks (and probably dreams) in detail.

What makes Zoe stand out in an industry awash with stylists is that she has her own point of view. It is easy to pick a Zoe client out of a red-carpet line up. They have all the hallmarks of someone who’s been dressed by a professional (glamour, poise, great hair and make-up). But what separates the Zoe client is that the dress will not only be occasion-appropriate, but it will be career-appropriate as well.

Rachel Zoe extols the virtue of dressing for the future you want, not just the present you have (however fabulous that may already be). Aspirational dressing isn’t just for WAGs – it can help women who are doing well on the career ladder, but want to do better.

Ambition is very much the elephant in the room in Hollywood. Everyone has it but no-one wants to admit that what got them there took absolute grit and determination. There’s nothing soft or whimsical about your favourite A-list actress floating down the carpet in an Alberta Ferretti. Don’t be fooled: on the inside, she’s as tough as old boots.

Fashion as personality is something Rachel’s cultivated particularly well, both with herself and clients. A red-carpet dress on client Anne Hathaway never looks ‘wrong’ or overdone: it looks like the dress was made with no other purpose than to sit on her back.

Glitz on its own is nothing new – or remarkable. Everyone, from the Soap Awards upwards, knows the basics of red-carpet dressing. What Zoe takes to another level is creating a style for clients that looks organic and evolved. Every look you see is meticulously ordered. Nothing is left to chance, but it just looks effortless.

Zoe’s most successful looks have been about the detail. Whether it’s a dress covered with translucent paillettes or an athletic cut in sunset chiffon, Zoe pushes us to expect more by slowly introducing braver, bolder shapes that challenge our pre-conception of what red carpet fashion should look like.

Many A-listers now hope to have careers that span decades, and staying with the same image for 50 years is not always the way to go. Ambition dictates that in order to move on, one must move forward. What Rachel understands so clearly about the fame game is that a style icon is never born, she is made. Not convinced? Look at Madonna. Never the same image twice and we’re still as fascinated by her now as we were in 1983. That is the mark of a true artist.

The Zoe team build style icons from the ground up: Cameron Diaz has made the transition from beach babe to urban sophisticate, and the changes have been so subtle they feel authentic. When you can’t see the stylist’s sleight of hand, you know they’re good.

Regardless of how far Rachel explores her move into merchandising, her primary role – stylist, taste-maker – has redefined how Hollywood looks today – and that’s bananas.

The Summary (how the Zoe effect can work for you)

- Redefine how you think about vintage fashion. It’s not just sustainable and purse-friendly: done well, it builds a library of fashion unique to you and your personality.

- Ignore labels and go for fit. Does it (a) fit you, right now, (b) fit with minor alterations (eg: taking up a hem or sewing on a new button) and (c) fit your current wardrobe and lifestyle. If your day-to-day life doesn’t much call for a floor-length kaftan, it may not be the best buy for you. A 70’s waistcoat or a pair of 80’s sunglasses are good examples of vintage slotting into a contemporary look.

- Approach style like a jigsaw puzzle. Look for pieces that will fit your personality and slot in with what you already own.

- Revise what you wear now: what could be taken to the next level? An incredible piece of costume jewellery can lift a faithful LBD, an intricately-detailed belt can make a maxi-dress that much more wearable when the thermometer’s not pushing 80 Fahrenheit.

- Think design. Many of the high-street brands are currently fighting for survival and this competition for our attention means they have to get creative. Keep an eye out for clothing with ‘good bones’. If it works on you, it doesn’t matter if it was made by H&M or Karl Lagerfeld himself. Fashion is, or should be, a uniquely personal enterprise. Go with your gut instinct and when it’s right, your style radar will pick up the signal loud and clear.

Rachel’s work in introducing us to vintage and the importance of a good accessory takes second place to her most important lesson of all: the importance of taking chances. Taking the road less travelled can lead to incredible things: buying that vintage necklace can unlock a whole new way of dressing, and your style should be as much a part of you as your fingerprint: indelible and one of a kind. Fashion’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. So dress accordingly.

HELEN TOPE 

The Costume Institute Gala, or the ‘Met’ Gala, is the one event in the showbiz calendar where fashion is not just the appetiser – it’s the main course.

Held yearly at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Gala celebrates the very best of contemporary fashion and attendees have only one remit when it comes to dress code: make it fabulous.

Considered the fashion world’s equivalent of the Oscars, the stakes are raised when it comes to putting in an appearance on this red carpet.  Some attendees go for what they know; others like to step outside their comfort zone. This red carpet is perhaps the most interesting to watch as it can yield unexpected results.

As with all red-carpets, there were a few trends that could be pinpointed. The predominant trend this year was short vs. long. Wearing shorter lengths for black-tie events is becoming ever more popular, with shorter hems even seen at this year’s Oscars. The trend was copied by many of the younger attendees, including Blake Lively, Carey Mulligan, Kristen Stewart and Chloe Sevigny.

Shorter hemlines work well with dresses that are high on visual impact, and for Blake and Carey this truism paid off: the detail on their dresses would be too much to handle on a longer dress, but done in short bursts, it’s much more palatable.

Carey even pre-empted two trends in one, by choosing a Miu Miu dress that ticked the boxes for lilac and lace. It may not have been the classic show-stopper that the steps of the Met are traditionally used to, but Carey, with her 60’s style crop, couldn’t have looked any cuter if she tried.

Blake Lively also scored a home run with a cerulean Marchesa dress that was big on impact, short on hem inches. Again, this dress in a longer length would have been overwhelming even for someone of Blake’s height – Marchesa (and Blake) did the smart thing by keeping it short and sassy.

The gamble didn’t pay off for everyone, and Chloe Sevigny’s polo-neck mini from Proenza Schouler is a typical example of Met fashion getting lost in translation. Chloe is one of Hollywood’s most daring actresses and isn’t afraid to try on a difficult trend or two. Some result in moments of fashion magic (like Chloe’s Valentino ruffles at the Golden Globes) but the Proenza Schouler dress was too much even for her. A regular on Best Dressed lists; chalk this up as a mere blip in what is already shaping up to be a very stylish career. Sevigny’s fearlessness gives her the potential to become a modern fashion icon, and even the greats get it wrong once in a while. 

Not everyone went with a shorter length – the word ‘Gala’ automatically suggests formality and formal for lots of women means only one thing: a floor-length gown and the epilator gets the night off.

The temptation with an occasion this big, with so many of the world’s press watching, is to match the occasion stitch for stitch and go with something that sits in traditional ball-gown territory. But luckily for us, Diane Kruger is not most people.

Diane’s sleek Calvin Klein gown is a perfect example of ‘less is more’. In recent years, the motto du jour has definitely been ‘more is more’, with actresses vying to out-do each other on the red carpet. First it was ready-to-wear, then haute couture, then one-of-a-kind haute couture, and then Lady Gaga arrived and made everyone feel hopelessly under-dressed. When everything’s been done – where do you go for something original? You go back to the start, and that’s exactly what Diane Kruger has done. When simplicity is done this well, who needs frills?

While Diane enjoyed the quiet satisfaction of knowing that she would be an automatic stand-out, other stars have built careers on the ‘ta-da’ factor, and turning up in minimalist Calvin Klein would be akin to turning up with a paper bag over their head: they would be unrecognisable.

Back on the circuit after a short career break, Jennifer Lopez has hit the ground running with several noted appearances already.

Jennifer clearly learnt lessons from this year’s Oscars ceremony where she turned up in futuristic Armani Prive. It was a brave outing, but a step forward that needed a little refining. She has the personality required to wear couture, but her experiment with sci-fi taught her that she’s best suited to feminine designs that work with her curves, and not crowd them. The Zuhair Murad gown was a triumph: the detail was the focus while the body of the gown was uncluttered, unfettered and allowed Lopez to shine. She looked young, fresh and most importantly of all, relaxed: job done.

Also with projects in the pipeline, red-carpet alum Sarah Jessica Parker was born to attend this type of event, and didn’t disappoint in a slinky pleated gown from Halston that blended the line where Carrie and SJP meet. As a nod to the upcoming SATC sequel, there’s few better ways to press home your point. Complete with trademark corsage in the hair, it was SJP par excellence.

Where its fashion with no holds barred, there’s always controversy, and this year, it was served up by Katy Perry. She tried to light up the red carpet in a LED dress that predictably divided the critics. It was a tough dress to wear even without the LED inserts in the bodice, and the amount of hardware on display would be challenging for Lady Gaga, who’s well-versed in the art of merging high fashion with battery packs.

Where this year’s ceremony worked was in the quieter surprises: many girls choosing to wear shorter lengths, Alexa Chung doing tomboy chic, and Tina Fey rocking a jumpsuit (yes you did read that right).

It goes to prove that grabbing headlines is sometimes best left to the professionals. The biggest successes of the night (Carey Mulligan, Diane Kruger, Jennifer Lopez) were not the flashiest sartorial picks, but they were the best.

The tendency with a dress code that literally has no limits is to end up over-thinking it, and that’s what happened at MOMA. Those who got it right, kept it simple.

This event’s theme may have been ‘Fashioning a New Identity’, but as far as this year’s attendees were concerned, letting your personality shine through your clothes, and not vice versa, was the way to go. A night of mixed fortune, it served as a reminder that sometimes the simplest pleasures can be the greatest.

HELEN TOPE

The Background

Some fashion icons grow from humble beginnings, others start a little further up the ladder. Olivia Palermo, born February 28^th 1986, grew up on New York’s Upper East Side. An area of the city known for its high concentration of wealth and privilege, Olivia comes from suitably rarefied stock.

After attending university in Paris and classes at the Parsons School in New York, Palermo soon made a name for herself as a bona fide New York socialite. Snapped out and about, Palermo’s wardrobe started to gain some serious column inches.

Olivia’s fame really took off when she landed a guest role on reality TV show ‘The City’. An East-Coast spin off from hit show ‘The Hills’, Olivia was filmed working alongside main draw, City star Whitney Port.

But ask most people about Olivia Palermo and it’s her style that has really got her noticed. The mix of high-fashion with classic shapes has put Palermo on the watch-list for every fashion magazine, and this April, Olivia was asked to be the ‘Today I’m Wearing’ girl for www.vogue.com. Chronicling every outfit for a whole month, the feature has predictably been a resounding hit.

But what is it that has Olivia Palermo riding high on everyone’s style radar?

The Look (and how you can get it)

Google photos of Olivia and one thing becomes very apparent: she’s not shy about showing off her legs, and frankly – who can blame her?

Olivia is adept at working proportion. Look at those same pictures, and you’ll spot a common thread: when the legs are on display, everything else stays covered up. Whether it’s with blazers, cardigans or jackets, it’s a simple style equation (probably the simplest there is), but when Olivia shows off one half, the other gets more modest treatment. It’s what keeps her look in the ‘cute and chic’ territory: no matter what she’s spent on a particular outfit, it never looks cheap, and that’s why. It’s all about balance and pay-off. A little style restraint goes a long way.

Olivia’s love of shorts has been exhaustively dissected on fashion spreads, and she’s proof that this season’s hottest must-have can be work-able. Whether it’s for night or day, shorts are a Palermo staple – much more interesting than the micro-mini.

Another favourite is the jacket. Whether it’s a blazer, cropped or heavily embellished for night, you’ll see every kind of look on Palermo’s back. The most important buy for S/S 2010, Olivia was partly responsible for its re-emergence as a style essential; pairing Isabel-Marant style tweeds with shorts for day, and a heavily embroidered blouson jacket by Topshop at London Fashion Week that had everyone dashing to their nearest branch the morning after.

Olivia isn’t afraid to cross-over a favourite look from day into night. It can be super-sharp neutrals for work, to a softly tailored cover-up with an emerald-green dress. It’s taking an element of the unexpected and making new classics. Shorts for evening, embellishment for day: it’s all part of the Palermo experience.

The last piece in the puzzle is Olivia’s love of accessories. Put simply, you can’t fail to notice the accents - they get equal billing with the main pieces and that’s the whizz-kid part.

Shoes and bags are the jewel in the crown for Olivia’s wardrobe. With leg-baring outfits, navy day shorts are paired with daring, boundary-breaking sandals to lift a nautical look into something truly fashion-forward. Olivia keeps the overall silhouette classic, but pumps it up with the shoes. It doesn’t always have to be heels either. Olivia scored serious attention for her silver Sergio Rossi brogues, triggering a wave of high-street copies.

Olivia’s loyalty to her accessories really shines through in her choice of bag. In an age where some celebrities make it their mission never to be photographed with the same bag twice, Olivia is conspicuous by her absence of ego.

Her go-to accessory is the Gemma bag by Chloe. A neutral colour in a classic shape, ‘Gemma’ is the perfect companion to Olivia’s work-horse wardrobe. Challenging the stereotype of the ultra-consumerist socialite, Olivia’s choice of bag is not only smart, it’s bang on trend.

The bag that goes the distance is now the option that’s most in favour. Even Olivia’s Hermes Birkin offers a master-class in doing un-conspicuous consumption.

On this point, getting the perfect day-bag doesn’t have to mean mega-bucks: you can find decent bags in stores like Reiss and All Saints, plus the leather and suede designs at high-street stores like Zara and Topshop. Keep an eye out for high-street designs that stand on their own merit – don’t feel obliged to buy something because it’s a dead ringer for its designer equivalent. Try to source bags in neutral colours with a killer detail, like a buckle or a fastening. It gives you an instant style upgrade, no matter how much or how little you spent.

Finally, the only way you know a bag’s for you is if it gives you that ‘must-have’ fever. Don’t love it? Don’t buy it. Accessories are a brilliant way of stamping your personality onto an outfit – so don’t sell yourself short.

The cornerstone of Olivia’s look is her ability to mix and match, and Palermo does it so well it could practically be her mantra.

Olivia is known for being able to blend the best of the high-street with luxe additions. To prove the point, Olivia once turned up to a New York charity event wearing a Diane Von Furstenberg jacket, YSL Tribute sandals and a skirt from American Apparel.

Fit and finish are the most important issues to consider here. When pairing a statement jacket with a more affordable skirt, look at the fabrics. Do they go well together? As for fit – ignore the label and go for what works on your body. Don’t get hung up on sizing – often switching up or down a size is the key to making luxury and bargain work in perfect harmony.

Also apply the theory of mix and match to different fashion genres. Olivia once paired a faux-fur scarf with boyfriend jeans and it brought a whole new freshness to the boyfriend, slouchy trend that made Olivia an instant stand-out.

Look at colour and texture: sometimes pairing a soft grey cardigan with a gold metallic dress is just what you need to apply your own twist to black tie dressing. Think laterally: developing a personal style is knowing what suits you – not just your body, but your lifestyle. Feel uncomfortable being too pristine? Butch up summer florals with leather gladiator sandals, or soften a tailored look by teaming it with harem trousers. Keep your style on its toes and don’t be afraid to try something new: that’s the way personal style works. It’s you, plus know-how and a helping of (simply) divine inspiration.

The Summary (What Makes Olivia a Modern Fashion Icon)

·         The holy trinity of mix and match: proportion, texture, colour

·         Accessories (spend on pieces that last, rather than flash-in-the-pan)

·         Think outside the dressing-up box (knits for evening, glamour florals, faux fur with ripped jeans)

Olivia is often credited as a real-life Gossip Girl, blending Serena’s sex appeal, with Blair’s loving attention to detail and Jenny’s too-cool-for-school street attitude. But the fact of the matter is Olivia has created an entire image around being different: she is nobody’s follower. Frank Sinatra sang about it, and in New York, there really is something to be said for doing it your way. In a city of uber-groomed women, Olivia stands out because she’s a rule breaker. When it comes to style, Olivia is the real deal.

With Palermo, the genius is in the detail. The hair and make-up is always noteworthy, but never distracting. Her accessories become part of the outfit, rather than bolt-ons.

But the best thing about Olivia is that the look is never too perfect. There’s nothing in Palermo’s wardrobe that can’t translate to real life: brogues, blazers, shorts and day-bags: not exactly the stuff of unattainable dreams.

The beauty of Olivia’s look is that it not just works on a budget: it flourishes on it. Olivia is famous for her championing of high-street design. Topshop and H&M are just as prolific features of Olivia’s wardrobe as the big designer brands.

Despite her lofty beginnings, Olivia’s look is anchored in reality and that’s why we love watching what she’ll wear next. She may have come from the Upper East Side, but her look is pure City Girl: smart, sophisticated and sartorially, just impeccable.

HELEN TOPE

It’s a perennial look, but denim has often been overlooked in favour of its showier cousins: it’s hard to out-dazzle sequins and diamante, but this summer, denim’s got its mojo back, and then some.

Denim was in evidence on several runways for Spring / Summer 2010, including Stella McCartney, Chloe, D&G and particularly Ralph Lauren. This all-American classic got a European makeover from Chloe, who went back to the 1970’s, and Stella McCartney did sexy-Seventies with a button-down skirt that rethinks the denim mini for the Boden generation.

Whatever form it appeared in, the theme for denim this year was reworked classics. Waistcoats, jackets, even dungarees were all revisited. But the favoured look was distressed fabric, nothing too tidy or finished.

Post-recession, this season has seen a return to natural textures and colours. It’s very much an antidote to last season’s obsession with sequins and bedazzle. The fashion world charmed us last winter with sparkle, now it’s time for something with more substance. In short, it’s time to ditch the Vuitton bunny ears and get real.

This summer is about real-life detail like hands-free leather satchels. Let the Chloe girl be your muse for the summer: care-free and low-key. In recent times, fashion’s been all about the add-on: this summer, however, is about keeping everything relaxed and easy to wear.

The rules are so relaxed that even the ‘denim tuxedo’ is making a comeback: not so long ago pairing a denim jacket with matching jeans meant only one thing – your name was Britney Spears and your date for the 2001 American Music Awards was Justin Timberlake. Britney’s flirtation with made-to-measure flew in the face of everything denim stands for, and that was the main reason it didn’t work.

This time around, matching denim is done by pairing pieces that look like they’ve spent several decades sharing wardrobe space together. If the shirt and jeans don’t look like old friends, it won’t work. Think casual, pared-back and effortless cool. Team the look with flat, leather sandals and a tan satchel slung across the body and it’s the look you thought you’d never be able to wear made possible. Denim works best when it’s frayed around the edges. It’s all in the styling.

Denim provides a hit of pure Americana: it’s as much a part of the country’s cultural heritage as Mickey Mouse and Coca-Cola. But more than that, denim has been the go-to fabric for generations who wanted to be comfortable, but still have an element of style. Nothing does this faster than a pair of jeans.

Ralph Lauren’s entire collection paid homage to the history of denim, in particular referencing 1930’s dustbowl America, with flat-caps and battered jeans that looked like hand-me-downs. The result was a thoughtful take on why denim has remained so popular: its enduring appeal is very straightforward – it’s a style leveller. Rich or poor, everyone owns, or has owned, an item of clothing in denim. It’s the ultimate in fashion democracy: a style superstar that everybody can own? No other fabric comes close to achieving this. More than ever, we’re realising that style isn’t reliant on the state of your bank balance. Real style comes from the confidence to mix things up and not be afraid to take chances, and denim is a brilliant way to experiment.

Prepare to see denim en masse in your high-street, and there aren’t any specific rules about cut or colour: indigo or faded, boyfriend or straight-cut, all denim has a free pass this summer so take advantage of it.

When it comes to contemporary fashion, we do have a tendency to over-think the process: from hemlines to heel height, it can be a fashion minefield out there, and that’s even before you start drafting in trends like tribal.

Many of the designers have given us a timely reminder of what’s great about fashion: when it’s simple, it just works. No second-guessing your choices, denim is the original no-brainer. A good pair of jeans remains the fashion holy grail, but also think about its stable-mates: the skirt, the waistcoat, the shirt. You could also do worse than give in to the eternal charm of the denim jacket. Make it faded and cropped, pair with a floral dress that’s hanging around from last year, and you’re done.

This summer, leave the sweating to everyone else, and rediscover the effortless beauty of denim.

HELEN TOPE

Whatever else can be said about fashion, it certainly can’t be accused of playing favourites. If one look is good and many being infinitely better, fashion truly lives for the thrill of the new. If autumn and winter 2009 were all about hard-core urban chic, then spring 2010 is all about the softer side of fashion.

One of the strongest summer trends to emerge from the runways is that of unabashed, glorious girlishness. Think sorbet, ruffles and acres of trim – think of a world summed up by Paris in springtime and bon-bons by the handful. This look is the natural relative of Belle du Jour (Catherine Deneuve, not the other one).

If you felt yourself pining for pink this winter, this summer you’re in luck. Of course, fashion never does a direct translation – it has to shake things up a little – but if you like dressing up, this season has your name written all over it.

French designer Isabel Marant has been making waves on the fashion scene by making clothes for women who want to be fashionable, but not fashion victims. Winning plaudits from every corner of the fashion press for wearable, desirable clothes that are still anchored in a strong editorial sensibility, Marant’s S/S collection gave girlie back its cool by pairing frilled sundresses with Navajo boots. This is girlie chic aimed squarely at the girl who lived in her gypsy skirt and coin belt five years ago. But Sienna Miller’s moved on, and this is the way you can recapture some of the hobo spirit, without looking like a throwback.

If you want true girlie understatement, though, you could do worse than Chanel. Working at the helm for over thirty years means Karl Lagerfeld knows better than most what girls (and women) want, and his spring / summer collection is no exception.

His ability to produce ageless fashion continues to defy expectations; his series of cream dresses kept the Chanel look young and fresh, and crucially, relevant. Easy to copy on a budget, this look will be everywhere come June. If head-to-toe tweed’s a bit much for you, just pair a jacket with jeans and a vest top. If even that feels a bit much, reference Chanel with a chain-handle bag. Choose one in a pastel shade to get the full effect.

That’s not the only gift Chanel has bestowed on this season: Lagerfeld has brought the clog back from the fashion wilderness too, and with good reason. If the thought of dressing up brings you out in hives, shoes can be your saviour: keep the girlie quotient anchored down by pairing frills with edgy detail. The girlie trend actually works best when served with something unexpected. Clogs fill this remit perfectly: you can clump away to your heart’s content knowing you’re doing girlie style just the way Karl likes it.

The girlie trend can be for everyone, regardless of where you stand regarding childhood party-dress trauma. Speak to any dress-phobic, and you can bet an 80’s floral nightmare is at the bottom of it. It doesn’t matter how many scratchy viscose frocks you were forced into as a child, fashion’s come a long way since and so have you. It’s time to let everyone know your fashion IQ by combining girlie details with editorial extras. A tea dress paired with a parka? Perfect.

But if you want girlie perfection that’s definitely not for kids, you could do worse than Lanvin. Feted by the press as one of the best shows of the season, Lanvin’s Spring / Summer collection was an ode to modern femininity.

Lanvin’s visual feast of carefully folded pleats of chiffon took the girlie trend onto a whole new level of sophistication – as perhaps only the French can do. A designer more usually known for his love of black and a good neutral, Elbaz startled and dazzled the fashion crowd with starbursts of gentle colour. Using embellished accents (belts, a spray of gold sequins across a skirt), Lanvin raised the bar in making girlie fashion for grown-ups. However sensible you may consider yourself, you’d have to have a heart of stone in order to resist the siren call of Lanvin.

But the most surprising part of this trend is how avant-garde designers have opted to showcase their feminine side. Christopher Kane’s show, a subversive look at the theme of Sunday best, took gingham and other wholesome influences and made them over for the 21^st century using daring side slits and carefully-constructed nude contouring. Never over-egging the soft pink and navy palette, Kane cleverly played the girlie theme in his own key.

At first glance it may seem an odd choice for a designer who is best-known for his gorilla t-shirt dresses, but as always, it’s what’s underneath that presents the Kane style signature. Look closer: these outfits are definitely not suitable attire for a church picnic. The tousled hair on the models gives you the final nudge: Kane’s muse is less MGM heroine, more a case of good girl gone bad.

However, if it’s out-and-out fantasy you want, Valentino offers the ultimate in girlie chic: serving up a selection of gowns in mouth-watering shades, these delicate petals of chiffon sum up the best of Italian design. Sophisticated and worldly-wise, this is a way of embracing the feminine trend without feeling like you’re about to take part in Brigadoon.

But if you want the final, the absolute last word, please see Stella McCartney. A fixture in fashion for over a decade, Stella has made her name by creating no-nonsense, no-fuss clothes that women simply can’t get enough of.

Stella McCartney’s collection for Spring / Summer 2010 is a summation of everything she has learnt about designing for women who don’t want to make dressing a three-hour torture event ending with tears and a stiff G&T. McCartney understands the desire for simplicity outstrips the desire for beautiful clothes: if you want a dress to sell, make it gorgeous, but make it a breeze to put on. No accessorising or fretting required, just add a pair of heels. It’s the fashion holy grail every woman secretly wants.

Stella’s final item in her runway collection this season truly saved the best for last. A one-shouldered ruffled dress that can’t help but make you smile. It is gloriously feminine, almost exuberantly so, but all the hard work has been done in the cutting room. The way the dress articulates is how fashion should really be: fun, flirty and effortless. All you need to complete the look is a clutch bag and a tall glass of Pimm’s.

It is no accident that designers from every fashion capital have offered their version of summer sweetness and light. More than a style consensus, you can’t help but feel that it is a gut reaction to the winter’s obsession with black. The urban look served its purpose, but now it’s time to embrace the antidote to all those neutrals. Even if you’re a tad nervous about this trend, the good news is that if pink isn’t your speed, it’s not an obligatory wear. From full-on glamour to stomp-tastic attitude, there’s a translation of the girlie look that everyone can feel comfortable with. This summer, let your inner girl out to play.

HELEN TOPE

When it comes to impressing at awards ceremonies, there’s only one where it really, really counts.

The Oscars remain the most prestigious and high stakes ceremony in the showbiz calendar. Love it or hate it, put in a good show here and you’ve just written your ticket to becoming a bona fide style icon. Just ask Halle Berry.

In a month packed with ceremonies, parties and lunches, the pressure’s on for old hands and newbies alike to turn it out time and again. But the pressure for some can be too intense: some actresses buckle at the final fashion hurdle, while slow-starters can get a second wind and end up scooping the glitz as well as the glory.

What was interesting about this year’s Oscar carpet was the firm consensus on colour: or rather the lack of it. Many went for black or white, or went old-school Hollywood in antique gold, silver or blush.

The women in white had mixed reviews: wearing white is traditionally a bit of a gamble. Go too frou-frou and you venture into Pronuptia territory; too safe and you risk becoming a one-note wonder.

Someone who did white surprisingly well was Jennifer Lopez. A definite opinion-splitter, her Armani Prive gown was a bold choice and not everyone got it. But the architectural swirls, probably better suited to a couture model than Jennifer’s curves, were a different look for the woman who has struggled to find her way since growing out of the ‘Jenny from the Block’ phase.

Depending on which angle it was photographed from, it was either a dream or a disaster. But it was most definitely not boring: Lopez has hopefully emerged from her style stasis, because if there’s anyone with the chutzpah to wear haute couture, it’s Lopez.

Indeed, on the red carpet, fortune really does favour the brave. Leading the pack for black, Carey Mulligan dared us to diss her Prada gown. Again wearing a scooped-hem, Carey’s dress looked the epitome of classic chic until you got a little closer. Embroidered and embellished with tiny knives and forks, it was a quirky choice for Mulligan who cleverly styled the dress with a gorgeous pair of antique earrings. It was a home-run for Carey who this show season, has often trumped her American peers. She may not have come home with the gold, but in terms of style defence, Carey’s already a winner.

Another interesting choice was made by Twilight’s Kristen Stewart. Wearing inky-black Monique Lhuillier, Kristen was noticeably happier and more relaxed in this than the pearly-white Chanel mini she wore to the BAFTAs.

Never a girl afraid of embracing her dark side, Stewart stood tall in a surprisingly conventional gown, but she wore it beautifully. It was a sharp about-turn for the girl known for her love of cutting-edge design, but her attitude made the look bold, fresh and modern. Bravo, Kristen.

But by far the biggest trend on the night was for camera-catching metallics. Cameron Diaz in antique-gold Oscar de la Renta; Kathryn Bigelow in gunmetal Marchesa and Demi Moore in blush Versace, they all went for variations on gold and silver. Kate Winslet served the trend best in YSL.

The form-fitting dress was an unusual pick, but very chic. Kate doesn’t do try-hard, and this gown perfectly summed up the woman she’s become. This dress, while not everyone’s favourite, was quintessential Brand Winslet.

But the prize goes to the woman of the hour, Sandra Bullock. For a woman who’s publicly admitted she’s not in touch with her girlie genes, she does uber-feminine very well.

Dressed in a high-necked gown from Marchesa (one of a kind, made using vintage fabric), Sandra’s look was taken straight from the femme fatales of the 1940’s. When you don’t have style guns yourself, there’s no shame in borrowing a bit of inspiration from fashion’s back catalogue - Sandra even amped up the fashion voltage with a Veronica Lake-inspired sweeping hairdo and killer red lipstick.

This awards season has forced Bullock to deal with red-carpet dressing, which for most of her career, has been her bête-noire. Remember the story about the tortoise and the hare? Meet Hollywood’s most stylish tortoise. But this one shining moment, on a night where women’s achievement in film was finally celebrated, was totally the right place at the right time. Sandra pulled it together and was a worthy winner, both at the podium and on the red carpet. Glammed up but occasion-appropriate, we could still see Sandra Bullock in there and that’s the whole point of red-carpet: your favourite star, just a little more lipstick, and a Judith Lieber purse.

Despite the love affair with neutrals this year, there were some splashes of colour to be found on the red carpet. Maggie Gyllenhaal dazzled in vibrant blue Dries van Noten and Vera Farmiga’s Marchesa dress was a noteworthy standout. Covered in raspberry fluted ruffles, this dress could’ve been an overwhelming nightmare, but the execution was exemplary. Teamed with minimal jewellery and beautifully-judged make-up, this was girlie for grown-ups, proving that you don’t have to forego the frills if you’re pushing forty.

In fact, the entire evening was less girl power, and rather sisters doing it for themselves. It was a night where David triumphed over Goliath, with The Hurt Locker taking many of the top prizes of the night. But the evening belonged to Kathryn Bigelow and that long overdue historic win for Best Director. It was a genuine Hollywood moment.

As awards season wraps up for another year, those big moments, the ones we remember, are emphatically substance over style: Precious, The Hurt Locker, Crazy Heart: none of these are easy films, but it seems that post-recession, Hollywood’s in the mood for something with a little less flash, and a little more depth.

There’s always room for the big-money blockbuster (indeed Hollywood needs them to survive), but for now at least the industry and the people in it are focused on a way forward that’s anything but black and white.

HELEN TOPE 

This week, the countdown to the Oscars got a little bit closer with the BAFTA ceremony taking place in London earlier this week.

Often seen as a good predictor of where the Oscar votes may fall, there were a few surprises on the night and not all of them were confined to the ceremony itself.

The red carpet had its fair share of upsets too; with many actresses choosing to forego traditional black tie altogether. Dressing for cocktail hour, many chose to go shorter – it was a risk that definitely paid off for some, but left others out in the cold.

One of the first arrivals was Anna Kendrick. A nominee for Up in the Air and a Twilight alumnus, Kendrick has had mixed fortune on the red carpet. She scored poorly with a Marchesa at the Globes, but then redeemed herself at the SAGs with a fuschia Alberta Ferretti.

Taking the note that frills are best served straight up, Anna went for optimum flounce, but in a very on-trend way. Opting for Pucci, Anna’s canary-yellow ruffled dress with sheer side panels was an attempt to bridge the gap between superstar sophistication and girlish glee. After all, if you don’t get excited about your dress, who else is going to?

Anna’s appearance was a good attempt at making feminine young and flirty, but with the exception of the bronze Jimmy Choo sandals, the outfit didn’t translate at all well to London in February. Best saved for the summer, the look was just too sunny and too frilly. The dress overwhelmed Kendrick and didn’t do its bit in flattering her figure. With an Oscar nomination to look forward to, better luck next time Anna.

Anna’s Twilight co-star Kristen Stewart also put in the leg-work and turned up to collect her Rising Star award.

Dressed in a shimmering Chanel mini-dress, this was a look guaranteed to pull at the heartstrings of every teenage girl. It was a smart choice for Stewart; a fitted, no-nonsense shape but with plenty of detail to keep the cameras happy. Known for being extremely shy, this dress did all the PR work for Stewart, and just to prove that Kristen likes to keep the styling low-key, she paired the look with tousled hair and barely-there, but exquisitely done, make-up.

A star who is determined to march to her own beat, Kristen may have much to learn about red-carpet attitude (it’s all in the shoulders), but her individuality marks her out as an inheritor to stars like Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie. A rising star (and now with a statue to prove it), Kristen is someone worth watching out for over the next ten years. Someone who’s not afraid to wear Chanel her own way? That’s what being a star is really about.

Famous for playing Coco Chanel herself, Audrey Tautou also turned in a good performance on arrival. She surprised many by not turning up in Chanel, but she turned it out in Lanvin.

The short, pink puffball dress was Parisian chic as only Lanvin can do. On paper, it reads all wrong, but the gathering at the waist was immensely flattering and the one sleeve seductively draped over the shoulder added just the right level of je ne sais quoi.

It was off-beat and fashion-forward without losing its cute quotient. Expertly paired with contrasting bag and shoes, this was a master class in how to do punchy colour in the middle of winter and make it work.

The person who had the most to prove was Carey Mulligan. A favourite to win for An Education (and she did), Mulligan’s rise through the ranks from garnering roles on BBC’s Bleak House to a fully paid-up member of Young Hollywood, has been nothing short of meteoric. But if Carey felt the pressure of winning on home turf, she didn’t let on. Her BAFTA appearance was calmly assured and very, very stylish.

Her dress by little-known label Vionnet will have the same effect as Halle Berry wearing Elie Saab to the Oscars. The one dress of the night that everyone had an opinion about, Carey wowed every fashion pundit, without a sequin in sight.

The short, knee-length skirt with full train and slashed neckline was a tremendous gamble. But as with some of the greatest red-carpet moments (like Halle Berry making history in a dress by a then-unknown designer), a bit of risk is always worth taking.

Mulligan’s dress was a complete wow; a confident choice for an actress who is about to join the likes of Kate Winslet as one of our best exports. There was no doubt about it – Sunday was Carey’s night to remember.

However, not everyone braved the weather and went with the short option. Vera Farmiga, from Up in the Air got many people’s vote for Best Dressed of the night with her almost bridal, sweeping gown from Marchesa.

The one-shouldered Grecian dress was kept from being too bride with a black sash around the waist. It was a supremely elegant choice, and just one of a series of sartorial hits from Farmiga, who up until very recently, was more used to watching these ceremonies from the safety of the sofa.

Being flung into the spotlight mid-career can have one of two effects on an actress: she either takes to the scrutiny like a duck to water, or flounders, panics and ends up being bullied into something no grown woman should wear by a pushy stylist who should know better.

Luckily for us, Vera falls into the first category. Like Carey, she has an eye for fashion, but more importantly, she has an opinion. Every choice Farmiga has made so far this awards season has been right on the money. Come Oscar night, this is one safe bet for a Best Dressed pick.

Most of the grown-ups went with traditional black tie, with Kate Winslet in a Stella McCartney column dress with racy lace inserts; Anne-Marie Duff showing off the bump in scarlet Alberta Ferretti and Kristin Scott-Thomas showed us the dark side of Paris in an elegant Louis Vuitton.

But a special mention has to go to Joely Richardson. A decade ago she hit the front of every tabloid in a yellow Julien McDonald backless mini-dress. Tough to wear, let alone make your own, but Joely proved at the Maybe Baby premiere that she wasn’t about to be upstaged by any frock.

The lessons learnt came full circle at BAFTA when she accompanied her mother Vanessa Redgrave to collect her Fellowship Award. Joely arrived in a midnight-blue goddess gown with jewelled accents on the shoulders.

The dress, by Catherine Walker (who also dressed Vanessa), was nothing short of extraordinary. Dramatic, sexy and attention-grabbing without risking goose bumps, it was a palpable hit.

Just when the night risked being snatched away by fashion triumphs from Farmiga and Tautou, Richardson arrived and staged a very British coup. Understated as it was elegant, the dress was a reminder that if you want timeless style, the British have just as much to offer as their international counterparts. British Fashion Week couldn’t have had a much better start.

The BAFTA evening was a British triumph all around, with Colin Firth winning for A Single Man and making an acceptance speech that reminded us that funny and sexy don’t have to be mutually exclusive. With Carey Mulligan’s star on the rise, and Vanessa Redgrave being accepted into the Fellowship, it was a night that should have had Hollywood sitting up and taking note. Many think the Oscars are all sewn-up, but the surprises at the BAFTAs prove that when it comes to awards, and especially the red-carpet, there’s no such thing as a sure thing.

HELEN TOPE

Writing a tribute to Alexander McQueen presents an almost impossible task. The celebrated maverick of British fashion, and an international design influence, McQueen’s legacy is something vast and complex, something that can only be attributed to a visionary.

Born in 1969, Alexander McQueen did not pursue the traditional route in becoming a fashion designer. A working-class boy from Hackney, McQueen learned his trade working as an apprentice at Savile Row. Moving through the ranks at Gieves and Hawkes, McQueen was clearly talented, and picked up technique quickly, even tailoring a suit that was eventually worn by the Prince of Wales.

But McQueen wanted more. He applied to Central St. Martins for a job as a pattern cutter tutor in 1994, and immediately impressed the staff with his passion and knowledge of fashion, both past and present. He may not have had the traditional academic background necessary to be admitted to Central, but his abilities and willingness to work convinced the staff to admit him onto the postgraduate programme.

It was a gamble that paid off, both for McQueen and Central St Martins. His Masters collection caught the eye of uber-stylist Isabella Blow, who bought up the entire collection. Isabella took the new designer under her wing, and his reputation was sealed – Alexander was officially Fashion’s Next Big Name.

McQueen’s early collections were about creating impact: as a new designer, it is essential to stand out from the crowd, and that was something McQueen excelled at.

Ahead of his time, McQueen’s early shows were theatrical, thought-provoking and controversial. In 2003, he had a shipwreck re-created for the Spring / Summer show; in 2005 the models performed a human game of chess and his Autumn 2006 show, ‘Widows of Culloden’ featured a hologram image of Kate Moss. This was fashion as theatre, and this was just one of the things that made McQueen a pioneer.

In 1996, McQueen was installed as head designer at Givenchy. His collection in Autumn 1998 caused a sensation.  Models were featured on a revolving plinth wearing white tubular dresses which were then spray-painted by robots as the models twirled around. This was fashion at its most visceral and immediate, and the fashion press couldn’t get enough.

Despite the early controversy, as McQueen’s career developed, his standing within the fashion community did not diminish, because McQueen was more than fashion’s ‘enfant terrible’. He was a consummate artist. The idea of a designer being hands-on may seem old-fashioned, but McQueen never forgot the lessons learnt during his Savile Row apprenticeship, and every collection had one common thread running through them: every piece of clothing was expertly tailored. His commitment to tailoring, and getting it right, was what kept him in the fashion spotlight. Alexander’s mastery of tailoring informed every one of his ready-to-wear collections with a couture sensibility. He understood the importance of cut and fit on a woman’s body, and this was what made clients love him.

His glamorous 1950’s Hitchcock-heroine collection for Autumn 2005 provoked a wave of enthusiasm for suiting and dressing up. His Novak bag, the accessory swinging from the arms of the models, became a worldwide hit. McQueen’s idea of femininity has always been there in every collection. It is not always obvious at first, but there is in every collection, a glimpse of the woman McQueen designed for.

His work, both at Givenchy and his own label, gave fashion a fresh point of view. Just a brief summary of some of the trends he invoked gives you an idea of what the fashion world has lost. He revived tartan and skull prints, he was the first designer to revive hipsters, then made dressing-up cool for a generation of girls wedded to their jeans, and only six months ago put on a blockbuster of a show with reptile print dresses and alien shoes.

Alexander McQueen has always been reported as the former wild boy of fashion, the designer who liked to push our buttons; engage and challenge us. He was all of those things, but he was also a designer capable of producing moments of sheer, breathtaking beauty. His show for Autumn 2008 was nothing short of a masterpiece. Taking inspiration from the English Regency and the Indian Maharajah, it blended the two worlds together, creating a piece of sumptuous fashion theatre. An enormous gathered silk coat, a red and white dress made entirely from feathers – it was more than fashion, it was a pivotal moment in McQueen’s career. He had proved that cutting-edge fashion could be beautiful. It could provoke the mind, but it could also stir the heart.  If McQueen’s legacy is nothing other than this, this alone represents a phenomenal - and peerless - achievement.

The man who came to the fashion world determined to prove himself did exactly that. He became the epicentre of the British fashion world, making British fashion respected as a centre for avant-garde design across the globe. McQueen is more than a name, it is a global brand.

McQueen was visibly influenced by designers such as Vivienne Westwood, and his influence in turn will live on in young designers such as Gareth Pugh, Peter Pilotto and Christopher Kane.

Only time will tell what will happen with the McQueen name, but his legacy, for now, is assured. Alexander McQueen paired creative freedom with technical excellence. Sometimes misunderstood, McQueen’s bravery in pushing to new fashion frontiers, especially in what was to be his final collection, is a quality that no new designer can afford to be without. He was not afraid to be wrong, but he was never afraid to push an idea when he knew it was right.  British fashion lost its most vital talent today, but McQueen’s astonishing influence will live on in the vision of what fashion will become, a vision he helped to create.

HELEN TOPE