Group shows are sometimes problematic, but Twenty-seven names and Juliette Hogan twinned well, both play with feminine conventions of dressing, the former is tough pretty, while Hogan has a Mormon chic femininity.
Twenty-seven names' models strode out en masse before walking individually and were a better crop than some
earlier in the day.
The rising young Wellington label mixed black cotton-drill swing-cut trenches and form-fitting minis and knits with fluid white lawn cotton shirts.
The masculine influences - and some cropped suiting for the boys - showed in elongated vest dresses and blazers, but combined with pin-tucked shirts and devore velvet tops and skirts the look was softened a little.
A mainly black palette was mixed up with flesh pink and white on cream separates, including a broderie anglais vest and scallop-hemmed dress that picked up on the 60s theme designers Rachel Easting and Anjali Stewart nodded to.
Hogan's mannered style can be a little twee, but this was a successful range.
It began with a Dior grey wool cape with double-breasted buttons and a giant bow, later shown in pretty peach crepe.
Salt and pepper tweed separates, including a pinafore dress and a skater skirt.
Knife pleats figured in well-made georgette mini-dresses and again in a full-length skirt, similar to a shape she has shown before. Blazers tied the billowing but body-skimming pieces together.
Again the palette was muted, but the injections of navy, purple, teal and tobacco and fleshy tones provided a subtle lift to a sombre but refined showing.
A caped-back dress that won't photograph well, will certainly wear nicely as will a full length Valley of the Dolls zip-front black number and a muted graphic purple print mini shift with a ruffle front.
Not strictly fashion forward, but indicative of a cool confidence that explains why a colleague refers to the designer chummily as J. Ho.
I'm not down with these sort of things and thought she was talking about last year's flavour of the week, the disappearing act that was Jaeha.
