With a catwalk made of woodchip and a three-ton Airstream wagon distributing organic burgers, Arnotts' winter show, held in its Abbey Street warehouse yesterday, also featured a converted l970s Citröen camper van dispensing champagne.
"We wanted to do something special as this whole block will be gone next year when the new Northern Quarter is being built," buyer Mhairi Roche said. With its takeover of the Debenhams lease in Jervis Shopping Centre next February, another 90,000 square feet will be added to Arnotts' considerable property portfolio.
The clothes, in turn, reflected both the street and the red carpet, opening with a blast of monochrome colour in which flouncy silk shifts in royal blue, purple or jade came with shoes, bags and accessories in the same shades. Categories such as "The Big Chill", "Loose Knits", "Back to Black" and "Heritage" covered the season's main trends through a wide cross section of US and European brands.
The new frocked jackets and coats, for example, included a number of handsome items from Stella Forrest, Pepe and Isabel de Pedro, while belted grey cabled coats or fine-knit jersey dresses with leggings and riding boots offered knitted alternatives for day or evening.
"We have brought in some great new brands from the US like Nicole Miller, Tracey Reese and Maxazria," Roche said.
Despite the colour, black predominated, but mostly in smock-shaped dresses or in beaded shifts worn with patent peep-toes or pumps. The shine, whether from black patent oversize bags or from lurex leggings, continued into evening with a "gleam team" of bronze, pewter and silver metallic shifts or puffball dresses.
A sparkling big-skirted sequinned tulle number from Almost Famous was followed by some delicious floor length, if rather expensive, goddess gowns in buttermilk chiffon or slithery mink satin, perfect for a debs' night out. Accessories included pretty ballerina flats and suede pumps along with the new shoe-boots, riding boots and Lulu Guinness T-bars.
Menswear, less flamboyant, majored on jeans and hoodies with serious suits in navy pinstripes from Baumler, in charcoal from Strellson and fine knits by John Smedley.
