From Catwalk to Cast On

By Henrietta Dups

Henrietta gives you the low down on the latest fashion trends and how to interpret them with your crochet hook & knitting needles.

There is nothing like a little adversity to get my creative juices flowing and the current global recession has presented me with a credit crunch couture challenge. Faced with a skimpy shoestring budget plus (a desperate) promise to my other half that I will not purchase any new clothes or shoes in 2009 (he rather lost the plot when I came home from London with five pairs of new winter boots, I already owned four pairs and I live in Australia), how will I keep my wardrobe au courant and chic?

Well, this is when all those husbands out there suddenly realise just how lucky they are to be married to a creative woman with an insatiable obsession for crocheting and knitting. We can have a complete designer wardrobe for next to nothing bar the cost of the yarn and our time (there is always time for knitting), plus as I often tell him, while my hands are busy knitting I cannot spend money.

Now the question is, 'what should we be casting on this season?'

There was one seriously 'stand out' knitting trend this season and that was the Cable. It adorned everything from berets and beanies through to fingerless gloves, scarves, sweaters and dresses. Julien McDonald presented models wrapped up in layer upon layer of knitwear in beige, brown, cream and taupe all featuring intricate cabling. At Betsey Johnson the piece de resistance was a sassy little off the shoulder three quarter length sleeve, cabled, figure hugging dress in electric blue mohair. A definite must have this season, wear it over tights with a patent leather black belt and stiletto shoe boots for a night on the town, or team with ballet flats and jeans for a chic understated daytime look. Australian knitwear designer, Jo Nathan has designed a very similar pattern to the Betsey Johnson dress in the Cleckheaton She Knits Pattern Book #963, knit this up in Biggan Design Electric Blue #775 DK Merino Yarn and you will have a beautiful designer garment for a fraction of the price.

Every season there is a new body part or two that garners the attention of designers alike. This time around the focus was on the neck and the décolletage, whether it be a sweeping oversized braided neckline as favoured by Emanuel Ungaro, or modest Edwardian style ruffle front blouses as seen at Givenchy. At Kenzo it was a mesmerising grey and white free form ruffled sweater that captured our attention and drew our eyes up to the neck. While at Giambattista Valli a plunging neckline was accentuated with a bold asymmetrical ruffle embellishment running along the neckline and down one side of the plunging V.

Ponchos, capelets and throws were another big trend on the catwalks this autumn-winter. Unlike the coat these garments are much more versatile and wearable as they are so tran-seasonal. Nicole Miller featured black knit lace ponchos while at Lacoste it was a mustard hued fringed throw worn with a skinny black patent leather belt that took centre stage. Jaeger focused on the stripe trend with a stylish yet neutral earthy toned horizontal striped capelet. Biggan Design's Carmen capelet has a very similar silhouette to the Jaeger capelet and to really be on trend why not customise the pattern and add stripes. At Ralph Lauren, the ethnic trend was apparent with capelets and throws in bold Navajo Indian inspired geometric red, white and black patterns. For the Ralph Lauren ethnic look be right on trend and cast on the Truffle tunic dress from issue 7.

Diane Von Furstenburg, Malandrino, Michael Kors, Alexander McQueen and Tuleh all looked to days gone by with 1950's screen siren glamour as their inspiration. At DvB the models strutted down the catwalk in fitted fine knit 'sweater girl' tops teamed with feminine silk skirts and belted long loose knit cardigans. The look was topped off with feather trimmed fascinators and chic long leather gloves.

Both Malandrino and Michael Kors opted for the sexy 'Monroe' style figure hugging knee length pencil skirt co-ordinated with nipped at the waist cardigans and fitted knit sweaters, the latter finishing off the look with fur tippets and trimmed collars. Tuleh featured sublime cashmere striped fitted sweaters worn belted at the waist over full taffeta skirts. To replicate this look try out Miss Moneypenny or Ava from this issue for an elegant waist emphasising jackets, or Miss De Havilland for a neat 'sweater girl' style top. To complete your screen siren look add a slick of scarlet lipstick for a seriously glamorous pout.

On the topic of lipstick, I was at the drugstore the other day and before I knew it I had purchased several. I had succumbed to Wall Street's aptly named 'lipstick effect' trend, a phenomenon that has occurred in every recession since the great Depression, when all other sales plummet the sale of lipsticks sky rocket. I reasoned that a girl needs something to brighten up a dreary day and if she can't update her wardrobe with new purchases she can at least put her best face forward. This got me thinking that I don't necessarily need to forgo my desire for luxury, I just need to show a little ingenuity and follow the mantra: Downsize, Customise, Accessorise.

Downsize your projects, by choosing patterns that use only one to two skeins of yarn, this way you can still afford to knit with luxury fibres.

Customise your old garments with little details such as the Flower Power Brooch in issue 6, or the Recession Ruffle in this issue for an instantly updated and fashion forward feel.

Finally, the late Isabella Blow always knew how to complete an outfit taking it from nice to fabulous in one flick of the head. Invariably she accessorised with her trademark piece of Philip Treacy head wear and ruby red lips. Follow Blow's sartorial savvy and cast on one of three striking feather and beaded Fascinators featured in this issue.

Just because there is a credit crunch does not mean you have to crunch your style.