Alice Temperley - Autumn/Winter 2012-13 collection, London

Alice Temperley : “IN this fast transient world a little decadence is like a tonic”. Alice Temperley of her autumn/winter 2012-13 collection tonight, held in the appropriately elaborate surrounds of 1 Great George Street and entitled Renaissance, having been inspired by religious paintings from the beginning of the 18th Century.

With ten years of history behind her now, it seems a shame that the headlines often focus solely on Temperley’s association with the Duchess of Cambridge and her sister Pippa, but it was hard not to imagine a royal moment in some of the dresses presented tonight - one long silk robe held on with a wide, jewelled circular motif around the shoulders would be perfect to add regal elegance to the Duchess’ next public appearance.
It was divinely opulent, with Charlotte Olympia on shoes and Mawi on jewellery to ensure that could be said from top to toe, with bulging fur hats adding a notion of Russian Imperialist money – a colourful, creative daydream.

Long cream lace robes worn over nude sheaths had bright fuchsia floral appliqué growing up them, while A-line skirts of red quilted silk or gold sequins were belted into white blouses edged in lace to allude to Alice’s chosen reference to Slavic folklore.
Sumptuous woollen capes with matching pencil skirts meant the Temperley woman doesn’t just dress for black tie next season, while velvet trousers and their fitted matching jackets, perfectly tailored frock coats and one brown shorn pony skin coat teamed with a leather skirt revealed Temperley’s ability to create variety in the wardrobes of the super rich.

Full-sleeved day dresses fell to above the knee in laser-cut purple taffeta to match the lace ankle boots beneath, while the evening wear truly wowed her audience, with jewelled straps crossing over the back of a navy column and another black silk dress lined in cream draped around the body and barely held on by a narrow lace across the shoulder blades. Increasingly bejewelled and lustrous, it became the crown jewels of a collection.